I used to trap snapping turtles years ago and I came across a neat trick to keep the deer flies off me .
I found out by accident that if I had a long sleeve dark colored shirt on while I was wading in the river , the deer flies wouldn't pay me any attention .
Only problem is , in my case , it seems the trick don't work for me any more .
The deer flies seem to be drawn to my silver hair now . :scared:
But I supose I could cover my hair .
Thought I would share this fore those of you who like to stump shoot in deer flie country .
All of my companies work trucks are white and there is no doubt in my mind that they swarm to white!
I have a silver truck and they land on my windows when I slow down. When I get out I'm ambushed.
When I first saw the title I thought it said "thick", man were they ever in my neck of the VT woods last weekend. I have an old black cap I've been spraying with deet for years. Seems to help but thought it was the deet more than color that kept them away. There were some huge ones and even got bit through my jeans - rather dark new ones. They were attacking the car which happens to be silver but always thought it was the movement rather than color that caused that. Guess I'll leave it to others to prove though.
They sure didn't seem to mind my dark shirt last weekend when I was fishing. I was doing more swatting than casting. Hate those biting little buggers.
Living in deer fly country, I have noticed that they are attracted to the color blue in conjunction with movement, more than any other color. I use a product called Tree-Foil, its used by arborists to keep insects from climbing up tree trunks...smear a patch on the back of your cap, and you will have about 100 deer flies attached to the sticky substance. it works great. I have zero use for deer flies...they suck. :scared:
That's the trap for those guys. Double sided tape works, too. Place just at the top, back of your hat and you get enough for "deer fly soup"!
First time I tried it, I thought, great, put the tape on and there's no flies out. Took my hat off and there was about 30 stuck to it. It really works.
Does Thermacell work on these guys?
I use the sticky mouse traps,, just tape to the top of your hat (bend it in 1/2 so it goes over the top of the hat and angles down behind your head) deer flys will keep attacking but once they get stuck its off to the next!
best thing I found and rids the woods of the deer flys if enough people keep doing it.
just hang a bounce dryer sheet in the back of your hat, that will keep them away. also works for them pesky skeeters also.
just hang a bounce dryer sheet in the back of your hat, that will keep them away. also works for them pesky skeeters also.
I use "Shoo Fly" soap from Blackberry Creek Soaps. Just lather it up and rub it on like a lotion. A bar lasts forever. Safe for my dogs too!
I kept count, and killed 23 on a recent roving expedition. When enough are bugging me, I stop and stand still under a low tree branch and they lose me. When I looked in the mirror after shooting, there was a dead one stuck to my forehead. I was a little lightheaded from slapping myself so much. :)
Someone mentioned sticky tape. There is a great product that is masking tape on one side and fly paper sticky on the other. It seems they are attracted to bald spots on people, so if you wear a black cap and put one of these flesh colored sticky strips along the upper back of the hat they will land there and not bother biting you.
I have used this for years and it works better than anything that I have tried. I once took my dog for a walk in the A.M. a few years back, in 10 minutes the strip had no less than 50 of them, was almost full.
I highly recommend this for those annoying buggers, they take chunks out of you if they bite. The name of the product I use is Tred-Not Deerfly Patches.
Deer flies, horse flies, gnats, etc. are all attracted to the lighter, brighter colors. The darker clothing the better during the daylight hours when they are pretty voracious.
Mosquitoes on the other hand seem to be less attracted to lighter colors in the evenings and the wee hours of the mornings.
But with the number of wood ticks I get in the springtime and early summer, coupled with the chiggers I get as the summer dries things out, I just resort to good ol' DEET - - about anything in the 28% to 35% neighborhood is plenty.
Trying to keep 'em all at bay, I reckon...
QuoteOriginally posted by Sam McMichael:
Does Thermacell work on these guys?
Sure did for me in FL the only time I had a run in with them.
I will second the bounce drier sheet helps.