Help with bugs

[oldpilot]

We are traveling to Maine the third week of September for a bear hunt. I've hunted Maine several times in the past, but never this early in the season. I'm pretty sure there will still be some bugs present at this earlier time, before hard frosts have occurred, perhaps, and I was hoping for some suggestions from members as to helping keep them away, while remaining as scentless as possible.

I will have one, or even two Thema-Cells with me and they work great here (Tn and Ky) in our Sep-Nov. timeframe. But I'm not sure they will suffice for the black flies, etc. found farther north. Any recommendations for types of clothing or repellents that might work, would be appreciated.
Thanks

[blkdia]

You have 2 options:
If it is still green in the woods, staple several bullfrogs to your hunting garments, or
If the leaves have turned brown... substitute hoppytoads for the frogs! lol
Sorry Ed.

Denny

[oldpilot]

You have 2 options:
If it is still green in the woods, staple several bullfrogs to your hunting garments, or
If the leaves have turned brown... substitute hoppytoads for the frogs! lol
Sorry Ed.

Denny

Heck Denny, I've already tried that....BUT those darn things kept flipping those 5" tongues in my ears too and I like to fall out of my stand anbout a dozen times before I stopped....lol.

[blkdia]

Heck Denny, I've already tried that....BUT those darn things kept flipping those 5" tongues in my ears too and I like to fall out of my stand anbout a dozen times before I stopped....lol.

I also heard that if you hang bacon all over you, the bugs won't bother you.... seems the bears scare them away! lol

[blkdia]

Sorry I made light of a serious question Ed.
Somebody please help him out, Matt, you out there?
Deet is the only thing I use down here, don't know what effect it would have on the bears.

[New Brunswick Bam]

The Thermacells will work fine for you, all my bears hunters use them(spring and fall) and myself, actually one of those gadets I love lol is the therma cell Good choice it is all you will need
bam

[HOGWILD]

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0015538931655a&type=product&cmCat=SEARCH_all&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&Ntt=BUG+Cammo&Ntk=Products&sort=all&_D%3AhasJS=+&N=0&_D%3Asort=+&Nty=1&hasJS=true&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fsearch%2Fsearch-box.jsp.form1&_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1

What will you spray on the Bear once he goes down? I guess if ya cut him up quick enough you should not have to worry but i hope your BUCK is sharp and fast!!

[Cabela's Moderator]

I just returned from a trip to Northern Minnesota where I field-tested the Thermacell unit by putting it to the ultimate challenge...cleaning fish, after dark, on a 100-yard strip of land between a swamp and a lake. Mosquitoes and black flies were intolerably thick during my "control fish" without the unit on. 10 minutes after activating the Thermacell, I cleaned several fish without a bug landing on me. I could see clouds of them hovering in the lantern light a few feet away, but that's where they stayed. Be advised there is an odor given off by Thermacell units. It's not unpleasant, sweet smelling in a way, and I'm not certain how bears would react to that smell.

DFM

[aristico]

I can tell you I was in ground blind with a thermacell kicking and I had a sow and two cubs about 7 yds away from me and they had no clue I was there.

[oldpilot]

It sounds like the Therma-Cell should do the trick then. They sure work well here. I appreciate the input from everyone, thanks!

[BEARBOB]

I Hunt in Canada, where we have our fair share of bugs and I find that the trick with bear hunting is to get them use to whatever bug repellent you want to use.

For example I use Deet and what I do I when I bait is I apply some to the tree that I will be in and some on the barrel holding the bait. This way the bear gets use to the smell, therefore when you are in your stand and are using Deet, the bear is not put off because he is accustomed to it.

This also applies to any new sent you will be bringing to your stand, as long as the bear is exposed to it before you use your stand, your success should go up.

For example I like to chew gum when I am in my stand, so I chew a couple of pieces when I am baiting and stick them to items near the bait. That way when I am actually hunting, the bear does not learn that when he smells that sweet gum smell it means I am in my stand and he should stay away until that sweet smell goes away

Hope this helps.

[mstarbird2000]

It sounds like the Therma-Cell should do the trick then. They sure work well here. I appreciate the input from everyone, thanks!

Since you hunting only a little ways from me I'll chime in here LOL.

If this rain doesn't stop you won't have to worry about any bugs wile your here. I haven't seen a one in quite a wile!!!! If the sun does come out.............Well better have that therma-cell ready. Of course you'll be driving buy the new Cabela's if you need to resupply LOL.

But then again I have seen days where nothing will work!!!!! Bring gloves and a head net!!!

[oldpilot]

Since you hunting only a little ways from me I'll chime in here LOL.

If this rain doesn't stop you won't have to worry about any bugs wile your here. I haven't seen a one in quite a wile!!!! If the sun does come out.............Well better have that therma-cell ready. Of course you'll be driving buy the new Cabela's if you need to resupply LOL.

But then again I have seen days where nothing will work!!!!! Bring gloves and a head net!!!

Maybe I'll get lucky and you'll have 6" of snow right before I arrive...lol.

[citori]

I rely heavily on a head net, gloves, long sleeve shirts, and long pants for bug protection. I also do as suggested by BEARBOB and add whatever insect repellent I plan on using to the bait station. A few shots of spray to the area is about all it takes. I use something with a high DEET content and a smell I can stand. It isn't possible for you but for my own use I toss a clothing item I've worn in my stand to further indoctrinate any bears in the area to my scent. As my stands are within 10 yards of the pit, this I feel is a fairly important action to increase my odds of taking a bear.
I have not used a Thermocell but it may be something to consider. I hesitate to add something more to the items I already bring with as I try to stay as light as possible for bears.

[aristico]

The only bug I can't keep away with my thermacell is the wife :-)

[HOGWILD]

CUTTER Bug Spray, i would not go anywhere without it! Just about only thing i have used that works!

[Bunny Buster]

i have a theracell it works good my freinds sware by them. However if u are doing alot of moving around such as stalking I dont think they are all that worth carring but if youre gonna go out and sit in a blind they work great. They need the chance to build like a cloud around you.

Good luck

[CGeminski]

thermacells always worked well for me....