Spring has Arrived in Montana and So Have the Ticks
I recently spent a day in the beautiful Montana woods and for the most part, it was amazing. Except for the ticks. While sitting down for a break during my hike, I noticed a critter climbing on my arm. At first, I didn't think anything of it. I figured it couldn't be anything super harmful, being that most of Montana just shoveled snow off the ground a few weeks ago. Until I realized it was a tick.
For anyone who has ever had a tick on them, the psychological issues you develop after discovering one on you are outrageous. Even though the tick hadn't had a chance to "latch on" to me yet, I couldn't shake the feeling that there were ticks all over me. Even though I did a thorough check when I got home, I still can't shake the feeling that there are ticks trying to suck every last drop of my blood. You constantly think that every itch or tickle on your skin is a parasitic monster trying to suck out your soul. It is one of those feelings that makes a person want to burn all their clothes and shave off all of their hair. Needless to say, in a word, it is "unsettling."
Outside of them being parasitic creatures, they are also known for spreading disease, which makes your feeling of dread even darker, after finding one crawling on you. The following video has some great tips on how to avoid ticks in our "neck of the woods."