Regarding the recently-posted perils of DEET:

I have found Permethrin to be very effective against ticks.  You spray it on 
your clothing at least four hours in advance.  It remains effective for 6 
weeks, even after laundering.  On Friday,I encountered but one deer tick, 
which I'm pretty sure just hadn't realized what it had landed on yet, while 
the guy I was wading through tick-infested grass with pulled off 30 or more 
assorted deer and dog/wood ticks.  I have not had an imbedded tick since I 
began using the stuff I forget how many years ago.  The Buzz Off line of 
insect-resistant clothing is impregnated with this stuff.  Another brand 
name is Duranon.  It won't mess up your optics

REI carries it, as does ABA Sale.  The late, lamented Sunny's Surplus did, 
too.

FOLLOW DIRECTIONS and don't pour it down the drain.  It's very toxic to 
aquatic life.

I have no financial interest in REI, ABA Sales, the makers of Permethrin, 
nor Duranon.

Kurt Schwarz
HowCo
goawaybird at comcast dot net