Freakin Skeeters!!!

[Robert501st]

Like most bowhunters I live for opening day, which here in Missouri is Sept 15. However, you can almost guarantee daytime high temps in the high 80’s or worse, 310% humidity, zero wind, and more mosquitoes than Minnesota and the Amazon basin combined.

In my obsession to remain as scent free as possible, I’ve always foregone mosquito repellents. Freakin skeeters though in river bottoms I often hunt have literally driven me from the woods so many times I’m almost ready to give up the month of September altogether.

How do you guys fight the bugs?

[Jhand]

I cover my self with deet, I use deep woods off. Then when I get setup in the stand I turn my thermocell on. These combined make hunting in the marsh early season bearable. Without it I wouldn't last 5mins

[tim]

Load up with deep woods off also. If the deer smell you deep woods off or any other product they also smell you so what’s the difference. Only difference would be you full of mosquito bites or you with no or minimal mosquito bites

[MN_DeerHunter]

Play the wind, use bug spray or a thermacell or BOTH if its really bad.

[Dewey]

I couldn’t survive some years in the marsh without a Thermacell. Easily worth 5x’s what I paid for it. I don’t even mess with messy sprays anymore. Sweats off faster than I can apply it. In my young and dumber years I walked out after hunts with litteraly 100’s of bites. Haven’t had that problem since using a Thermacell the last 10 years.

[headgear]

Some layers and a head net, you are hot and sweaty but they work without the chemicals. Practice shooting in the head net just to be safe.

[J Gilbert]

The thermacell is the only thing that makes hunting in the south bearable. From the second Saturday of September until mid October, your description applies better than you'd believe- the only part you're off on is temperature, as it can be in the mid to high 90's any given day

[Dpierce72]

Another vote for Thermacel!

One tip: get it going on the walk in so you aren't waiting on it to warm up once you get set. Sent won't matter if you play the wind...

I would be interested in sprays/devices that deter cotton mouths, copperheads, and rattle snakes if anyone has experience

[matt1336]

With 310% humidity and 80+ degrees you are not going to be scent free at all. Most guys on this sight don’t invest money or time on begin scent free. Put some thought into thermals and wind currents and you should be better off. IMO.
Sorry for getting off topic.

But.....
I’ve used thermocells for years. I hated the bug spray dripping in my mouth and eyes. So it’s thermocell all the way for me.

[Swampbuck]

Use repellant and thermocells. If the deer smell that they also smell you sweating and breathing everywhere so it makes no difference.

[KingfisherNYC]

Permethrin works pretty well for me.

[hunter_mike]

Thermacell and I also cover up with a hoodie and glove once I am in the stand. Sweat more but bleed less.

[Dewey]

Permethrin works pretty well for me.

Didn’t think about that for skeeters but I think it does really help. Since treating my early season clothing for ticks I noticed skeeters also bother me much less even without my Thermacell. They buzz around me but don’t land to bite.

[hambone]

I wouldn't dream of hunting the river bottoms of Missouri without a Thermacell.

[hambone]

I wouldn't dream of hunting the river bottoms of Missouri without a Thermacell.