Early hunting Mosquitos

[Bearded Mountain Man]

Okay guys I have got to know some good Mosquito repellant for early hunting. I live in NC and the little buggers are out in a feeding frenzy right now. I went out yesterday to hunt and only stayed for 45 min. I came in with about 20 bites. I was swatting so much I am sure every deer in the county saw me moving around.
        Just so you know I do not use any chemicals on my body, period, so the repellant will need to be natural. Any helpful hints would be appreciated! I don't want to walk into the woods with a citronella candle either. For some reason I think that would be a good deer attractant. 
     Thanks

[osage outlaw]

My thermacell unit works great.  It uses a small wafer that has some plant extract that repells them.  You don't put anything on your skin.  Walmart sells them for around $20.

[gstoneberg]

+1 on the thermacell. Never go without it.

George

[johnston]

Thermacell. Period, end of discussion. Hunting stark naked takes about
two weeks for every possible place to get bitten but who wants to
waste that much time?

[Bearded Mountain Man]

Awesome. Thanks guys I will look into a thermacell. On a better note I did see a medium size buck on Sat. and 4 other deer running through my woods today. Now I just need to get close enough for a good shot.

[mullet]

I carry two Thermocells down here. We hunt with mosquitos year round.

If nobody has seen them yet, Thermocell came out with a boot warmer insert that has a wireless remote you keep in your pocket for temperature control. A little pricey at $130 but would be real nice waiting on that buck to get closer than 50 yards with your toes stinging.

[osage outlaw]

Eddie, I bet when the temp. drops to 65 down there in the florida winter your toes do get a little cold   

[Pappy]

I have heard the thermocells work great,the skitters aren't to bad around here by the time hunting starts and my feet don't get cold ,so I guess I am good,better bring that foot warmer  in Nov. Eddie,I am sure it will be cold for you.
   Pappy

[skyarrow]

You could try some hedge apples I heard they can repel them little bothers. I don't know how you would apply it . I guess you could either rub the juice on your clothes or maybe just cut the fruit and hang pieces off your clothes. Iv seen it rid a house infestation of German roaches when I was a kid

[mullet]

Steve;

A year ago we had a month of below freezing temperatures, a number of those days around 18 degrees. Take that after walking in wet grass and knee to thigh deep water and your feet get pretty cold sitting in a stand.

And take those pads off the Thermocells and they make pretty good hand warmers.

[Bearded Mountain Man]

You could try some hedge apples I heard they can repel them little bothers. I don't know how you would apply it . I guess you could either rub the juice on your clothes or maybe just cut the fruit and hang pieces off your clothes. Iv seen it rid a house infestation of German roaches when I was a kid

 That is so cool. I have never heard that before. I will look into it. I have been leaning toward making a version of our homemade mosquito repellent with some cedar oil and pine oil. Since both are growing in my woods I figure the deer will think I am a tree. right?

[JW_Halverson]

We hunt with mosquitos year round.

Do you need a falconry permit to do that?  What kind of game to you take with them?  Are they legal to hunt with during tourist season?

[osage outlaw]

I don't know how well hedge apples work as mosquito repellant.  I stomp on them and smear them on my boots and pants legs for a little natural cover scent and I'll get ate up with mosquitos unless I have my thermacell.

[Bearded Mountain Man]

Well, I looked into the Thermacell and it is actually very much not natural. It is basically a synthetic (Chemical) pyrethrum soaked wafer that is heated by a Butane cartridge. So basically you are covering yourself with a cloud of invisible chemical vapor. I do think I want to do that, but I guess it does keep the mosquitoes away. I am going to try the essential oil mix and see how it does. Pine and cedar oils as well as lemongrass are supposed to repel the little buggers. I will let you all know how it works.

[madcrow]

I use skin so soft mixed with rubbing alcohol when I am just out messing around or in the shop.  For hunting, I use Deep Woods Off.  These Carolina deer don't seem to smell it at all.