Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Primitive Skills => Topic started by: Ryan_Gill_HuntPrimitive on May 08, 2013, 10:02:44 pm
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Every year I get more and more primitive, tackling another step closer to being all abo. During the hot months here in FL (pretty much all deer season) I think I will be hunting primarily in shorts and barefeet (my simulation and substitute for a breach cloth). The need for insect repellent will be ever more important. I'd like to collect and strategically grow some plants to rub on me or carry when I get to my hunting location. I have been experimenting with beauty berry leaves with some decent results. Anyone know of any other plants that I might keep an eye for down here and find naturally?
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Don't know if you have juniper over there but it's supposed to be a good repellant
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we have ornimental junipers, and Eastern red cedar which is a juniper I suppose.. berries or leaves work better? prolly whichever stinks more huh? lol
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What I've seen people will use both put them in a spray bottle and then mash them up, or just let it soak. Good scent cover to.
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Sassafras Leaves are supposed to work.
Never tried it my self.
Take the leaves crush them up a bit rub onto your skin.
Give it a try and let us know if it works.
David
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Lol just get bit. It doesn't hurt that bad haha. I'm interested in what you come up with. I work just by the mosquito lagoon and it can be like hell out there if you don't have deet.
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Birch oil. Cedar.Tansy. Smoke. Of the four ,I think only the last would be indigenous to your area. :D. Other than that, try not to sweat or breathe heavily.They are attracted to carbon dioxide and stinky feet / sweat. They also like light coloured clothing. Where I'm from ,they've been known to drive men mad ,and they'll bite you through blue jeans. Good for you for going ABO ,but I'll stick with deet and headnets for now. ;)
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I'll stick with cedar and beauty berry for now. hopefully a good application will do the trick. I know clay mud would work too...but that'd be awful messy! someone might shoot me for a skunk ape...however I'd definitely look the abo part being caked in mud. then I could roll around in the leaves and have a guillie suit >:D
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http://www.motherearthnews.com/Natural-Health/Beautyberry-Natural-Insect-Repellent.aspx#axzz2SnK581vE here is some info I looked up on beautyberry. I have tons of it down here. when I used it last week I admittedly didn't do a very good job on the application and got ate up.....but no where near as bad as before I applied it. They were out in scary swarms that day.. I was down in a wet bottom collecting clay and arrowshafts
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I have to say , even a liberal application of deet will only weed out the week and less determined of them, to the rest ,I think it serves as some sort of tasty sauce or dressing . Some just don't give a ----.
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Render some bear fat down into oil and slather it on real good.
Robby
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Sugar water 8)
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I've heard bannanas... Or is that something that makes it worse? :o
Only one way to find out! >:D ;D
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when I'm in the woods it seems the more whiskey I drink the less I get bit. go figure 8)
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Mint is supposed to work as insect repellant. Most non-DEET repellants now have some mint in them. Also, lemon balm but I don't know if that is native to America.
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My girlfriends perfume definatley would stave off any insect alive on this planet ;D
But in all seriousness ANYTHING cedar will keep insects at bay . Smoke , and Iv'e had luck with mullein leaves . Tabaccoo for sure . Just experiment ! Just dont go rubbing poison ivy or skunk cabbage on yourself , or your gunna have a bad time . >:D
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thanks guys. the cedar makes a lot of sense since must bugs wont bother the trees even after dead. I think between beautyberry and cedar I should be good to go and both a readily available in my native area.
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Bear grease keeps away black flies and deer flies. not sure how well it would work for mosquito.
Here's a fun fact: many native peoples that lived in buggy areas evolved so that they no longer reacted to mosquito bites. As they had no repellant, and were bit so often, over the years they evolved so that they no longer itched! I once talked to an Inuit in Alaska about it, and he was unaffected by the large number of bugs crawling around his arms and face. Very odd to see, but quite interesting.
Jon
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not even joking but I think the Spike TV show (manswers) discovered that B.O is the best repellent. kinda be hard to stalk with a good stink on :laugh:
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I experimented with beautyberry last summer. It does make a difference, I'd say. I use a ThermaCell in the garage in the summer and they do work incredibly well. I know it's not abo, but am wondering if there is something that could be doable in the ingredient list - chrysanthamum being a big one.
I bought a bar of soap that I haven't tried...yet. Got it at a natural food/product store. It's supposedly affective for keeping them away. We'll see. Perhaps soap making could be in your future! Ha! Another hobby! ;D
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we don't have mosquito problems here (maybe because we have busy purple martins?) BUT One powerful toxic substance I've found that kills ticks is a dab of white milk from a dogbane leaf. I've experimented with it a little. break off a leaf, dab the crawler and they either die on the spot
or walk around in circles till they die. Ticks also seem almost absent among large stands of dogbane plants.
NOW if someone can come up with a way to create a dog-bane spray as a repellant.... pass it on!
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Richard. wish we had some dogbane here... just have dog fennel, similar but not the same. sounds like a promising idea tho!
Parnell, I have actually been thinking of trying some soap making believe it or not!
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You can use crushed dogbane leaves to poison fish for safe eating . I tried this on a small run off creek pool with hundreds of minows . They just float to the surface ! Took about 5 handful of leaves though . I reckon a 4 times that amount will stun larger fish .
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Behenders and Twistedlimbs, the lemon bee balm is related to mint. Next time you have a chance to collect it, notice the square stem. It is in the genus Monarda. One member of the genus is citriodora; commonly called horse mint or lemon bee balm. It contains the same citronella (citronellal) that is found in those citronella bug candles. I have used it many times, with only marginal results. The deet definitely works much better!
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Here in Yosemite I use fresh bay laurel leaves. crushed and rubbed on or stuck in my hair tie.
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Ive never tried it but i read that black walnut leaves rubbed onto your skin will keep the skeeters away.
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You can use crushed dogbane leaves to poison fish for safe eating . I tried this on a small run off creek pool with hundreds of minows . They just float to the surface ! Took about 5 handful of leaves though . I reckon a 4 times that amount will stun larger fish .
You can do the same with Wax myrtle berries.You crush them in a burlap sack andweight it down in a small pool and it will do the same thing.
For mosquitos, Try crushing palmetto berries and citronella leaves and straining it with urine through cheese clothe. Then put the liquid in a spray bottle.
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On the prairies sage brush works pretty good..But planting the garden this weekend. The wife bought a catnip plant. Reading the tag it says it's a insect repellant. Might work - might attract cougars >:D
Thanks Leroy
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Walnuts will do the same to the fish as the above metioned plants too. Happens each fall in the creek in front of my house when the nuts drop. Those fish all die though because there is no fresh water coming in.
My wife uses citronela, lemon balm and lavender oils mixed w/ water in a spray bottle for her bug spray. Bugs didn't start getting on me until I stopped smoking, now I mostly just deal. I'd likr to give the cedar a try though. I think eucalyptus works too.
Good luck, dpg
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Well, I personally, would not consider using deet, as it is nasty stuff, and it will get into your system through your skin. But if you are slathering that stuff on yourself, you would be much better off getting a "Therma Cell". I keep one in my truck at all times. I just got back to Florida last week, and we had some rain, and the little tiger mosquitoes are out in force. As for natural stuff, speaking of Crysanthemums , what about the other little orange flower, which at the moment I have a brain fart, and can't remember the name of it, but you plant them in the garden to keep insects away. Astor? Anyway, it is orange, and is an insect repellent. Also speaking of soap, turpentine soap is supposed to repel mosquitoes. There is a good video on You Tube about making turpentine, and it mentions making soap with turpentine. But with the Eucalyptus and turpentine, as well as Australian Tea Tree Oil, you have a strong odor to deal with, if you are hunting. I just prefer the Therma Cell, even hunting. If I were stranded, and without one, I would probably use crushed pine needles. But the cedar oil, and the other suggestions are good. Cedar oil, is also good for getting rid of fleas on your pets. But make sure it is natural, organic, and not synthetic, or mixed with other stuff. Anyway, Ryan good luck. P.S. what about using the leaves, or boiling the bark, of the nasty invasive Maleluca tree. The bark can be used to filter water to purify it, as it contains something similar to tea tree oil, and is an anti microbial, and anti fungal. It is a relative of the tea tree.
Wayne
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Well, I personally, would not consider using deet, as it is nasty stuff, and it will get into your system through your skin. But if you are slathering that stuff on yourself, you would be much better off getting a "Therma Cell". I keep one in my truck at all times. I just got back to Florida last week, and we had some rain, and the little tiger mosquitoes are out in force. As for natural stuff, speaking of Crysanthemums , what about the other little orange flower, which at the moment I have a brain fart, and can't remember the name of it, but you plant them in the garden to keep insects away. Astor? Anyway, it is orange, and is an insect repellent. Also speaking of soap, turpentine soap is supposed to repel mosquitoes. There is a good video on You Tube about making turpentine, and it mentions making soap with turpentine. But with the Eucalyptus and turpentine, as well as Australian Tea Tree Oil, you have a strong odor to deal with, if you are hunting. I just prefer the Therma Cell, even hunting. If I were stranded, and without one, I would probably use crushed pine needles. But the cedar oil, and the other suggestions are good. Cedar oil, is also good for getting rid of fleas on your pets. But make sure it is natural, organic, and not synthetic, or mixed with other stuff. Anyway, Ryan good luck. P.S. what about using the leaves, or boiling the bark, of the nasty invasive Maleluca tree. The bark can be used to filter water to purify it, as it contains something similar to tea tree oil, and is an anti microbial, and anti fungal. It is a relative of the tea tree.
Wayne
Marigold?
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i have a thermocell but it seems just way too fancy and modern for me. I used it a few times...but I'm not convinced the floating area of repellent doesn't spook deer up close. I think it might actually spread out further than my natural scent since it is being heated, I think it floats out further. My hunting is close 7-10 yards. I always have used deet in the past and it works great but so greasy, nasty and stinky...killed a lot of deer up close and personal with deet on..just playing the wind. I am wanting something that grows here naturally to crush and use. the beautyberry and cedars are native and plentiful and I think I have found the answer...however some of the hoggy areas around here are so scarey with mosquitoes, even deet doesn't deter them
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Aha! Yes marigold! Thanks, I appreciate that. As for therma cell spooking game, My Lt. from the FD. is the one who told me about it, and he had four does, within ten feet of him. I have had does within 15 to 20 ft. It doesn't seem to bother them. It does have a slight odor, but not much of one. You shouldn't use it in a confined space, without proper ventilation. But I love them! Well if you don't want the fancy smancy modern technology, and want to stick, with all natural, you have plenty of choices now. ;) You might want to try to mix them with something, like petroleum jelly, or beeswax. Or a mixture of the two, to keep the repellent from sweating off.
Wayne
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Could always use a bug jacket and hood.
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eat lots of garlic,I live by a mangrove marsh and the no -see- ums will drive you crazy.I have been in the garden at dusk and smeared fresh onion or garlic on arms and legs ,it helps.But when their crawling in your ears, nose and eyes it's time to go in.
Bone pile
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I was Wondering when garlic was going to come into the post. Hi marinate garlic cloves with vinegar Taken daily works well. You can also take the tablespoonful Vinegar daily to.
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Ah yes good ol Garlic, and vinegar! Good for you, and gives you strong breath! :P Try to use the organic vinegar, with the mother in it. ;) It is a lot more healthy, :). It is good for the stomach also. Many uses for vinegar, and for garlic also.
Wayne
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Maybe someone has suggested this but good old heavily smoked brain tan keeps Iowa mosquitos away from me in the summer evenings here.
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I big, ol', cigar works, too.