Never been to Bankhead NF but a buddy and I were thinking about heading over in the morning to try to get after a few hogs. Does anybody have any suggestions or pointers about hunting them over there?

Snake boots.

For crying out loud PLEASE spray your clothes with permethrin. PLEASE.

no doubt buddy got the lone star illness when we went 2 months ago. No more red meat. Came across a shucks ton of snakes too

JT9, did he really get that dreaded disease that makes your body allergic to certain meats and latex? That's horrible. I know somebody else that has it. He's had to change his entire way of life.

I'm currently being treated for a tick borne illness, and awaiting laboratory results any day. They are no joke. This is my second battle. I had rocky mt spotted fever 13 years ago. That's what this feels like. Both make death a viable alternative. It's rough.

Not only that.....but, the ticks (and other insects) are extremely abundant this year!

Yeah he did, we were close to Capsey creek. next day found a lone star on him. Didnt know why he was breaking out into hives for a week so did some research and found the cause. Tested out eating some ground beef one morning and like clock work about 6 hours later was covered in hives

Matt, I slit my finger wide open in a hog I was gutting in bankhead last year. I haven't had any problems since it happened but is there anything that lays dormant I should get tested for?

You'd know by now. I almost lost a finger two years ago doing the same thing. It only took a day to know something wasn't right the next day I was at the doctors office getting it lanced. I got two bags of antibiotics in a drip a shot and had to take 3 more pills a day for a couple of weeks

This may be common sense for most, but here are a few basics on preventing ticks from getting on your skin:

1) tuck your socks over your pantlegs
2) wear long sleeve shirt
3) tuck your shirt into your pants
4) treat your clothes with permethrin.

Any luck in Bankhead? Thinking about making a trip up there in a couple weeks. Been going out to Oakmulgee near Centerville with no luck.

You're going to get a ticket going to oakmulgee this time of year

I said Oakmulgee for point of reference, I was actually North of Oakmulgee on NF property but off the WMA.

10-4 just letting you know jeff likes writing tickets. If I'm not mistaken you can't even ride thru there with a weapon

Didn't actually go to hunt, waited til Sunday and just rode down and scouted some in the Sipsey. Found a few wallows but didn't get off the trails too much. I'm eat up with chiggers though.

So on the NF can you use a rifle this time of year?

Yes