I always carry in my pocket a 1 oz. squeeze bottle, made of almost clear plastic, full of 99% isopropyl alcohol. I use a drop or two of this on any tick I see and it lets go and dies in seconds. I have also used 99% grain alcohol from the liquor store in the past and it can double to make a cocktail as well. The alcohol used for paint thinner works just as well.
I carry isopropyl because it reportedly works better as a disinfectant, which is my primary and daily use. It will also do a fine job of fire starting, just like the other types of alcohol. I have also used the little squirt bottle of alcohol for dozens of other uses.
I spent a day at the tick borne disease laboratory in Missoula Montana and learned much about ticks, diseases they carry and a lot more that has really changed the way I behave in the woods. Some of the things I learned are that virtually ALL ticks carry Lyme infection, not just deer ticks but also the common dog ticks. I also found that I was unable to see diseased ticks, crawling on a white Petri dish, under thousands of watts of bright lights
until I used a 30 power loupe and then I was able to see them
I learned there is NO chance I could see these ticks on my skin, in any light, with any useful magnification and certainly not in low light.
Now, I use the strong anti-tick formulas on my outer clothing and if I do find any kind of tick it gets the instant douse of alcohol.
Note: I get these little squirt bottles from
www.REI.com for about 50 cents each. Search for 1 oz. round bottle with squirt cap.
