Stay Safe

Ticks, West Nile, and poison ivy are a few things found in the Black Hills National Forest  to be aware of. Below are some tips to help you safely enjoy your time in the Forest. 

Ticks

While 17 tick species are found in South Dakota, the most common is the American dog tick, the chief carrier of Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Tick species transmit various viral and bacterial forms. Following the tips below will help people protect themselves and their pets from tick exposure.

• Avoid tall grassy or shrubby areas, as ticks do not jump but wait on vegetation for an animal or human to brush against them.
• Since avoiding tall grassy or shrubby areas is not always practical, here are other ideas for tick protection:
  • Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants. Consider putting rubber bands around your wrists on the outside of your shirt and blouse your pants into your socks or boots.
  • Wear a wide-brimmed hat.
  • Wear light-colored clothing to help locate ticks before they attach.
  • Visually check for ticks upon returning from wooded or tall grassy areas.
  • Use a repellent containing DEET to help protect against ticks. Use recommended repellents for pets, including collars containing amitraz.

Once on a body, a ticks compulsion is to climb upwards. Ticks most often attach at the neck and scalp. Using the following directions for removing a tick may help avoid disease:

• If a tick is attached to human skin, carefully remove as quickly as possible so the tick doesn't have a chance to bury its mouthparts deeper into the skin.
• Using tweezers, place the tips as close to the skin as possible and remove the tick with a slow but steady pull to allow the tick to back out and avoid breaking off the head. If it appears the head was left in, see a doctor, as the head parts will likely lead to an infection.
• Be careful not to puncture, crush, or twist the tick in the removal process. Also, do not use other folk methods, such as a lighted match, as a traumatized tick may spit up the contents of its gut, increasing the chance of infection.
• Disinfect the area with antiseptic or rubbing alcohol and wash hands with soap and water. Place the tick in alcohol in a sealed bag and place it in a refrigerator to allow for accurate identification if a tick-carried disease is suspected. Flushing a tick down the toilet will not kill it.

West Nile

The West Nile Virus (WNV) appeared in North America in New York City in 1999 and has since spread across the continental United States. Predominately spread by the bite of an infected mosquito, the virus can infect humans, birds, horses, and other mammals. In most cases, WNV causes a mild flu-like illness or may cause no symptoms at all. However, the disease can cause severe neurological diseases such as encephalitis or meningitis in any age group. The elderly are high risk. To reduce the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes, the following is recommended:

• Suggestions applicable to everyone who lives in or visits an area where WNV has been found include the following:
  • Use a repellent containing DEET when outdoors. Be sure to follow application directions carefully.
  • Minimize time spent outdoors between dusk and dawn.
  • Wear socks, shoes, and long-sleeved shirts and pants when outdoors for long periods, especially when mosquitoes are most active
  • Avoid shady, bushy areas where mosquitoes like to rest.
• Reduce standing stagnant water near your residence.
• Make sure all windows and doors have screens in good repair.
• Horse owners may want to consider the annual vaccination available for their animals. No vaccine for humans has yet been developed.

While 43 different species of mosquitoes have been identified in South Dakota, only 9 are known carriers of WNV. Virus cases occur primarily in the late summer or early fall. Even in areas where the virus is circulating, few mosquitoes are infected with the virus, and less than 1 percent of those who get bitten and become infected will get severely ill.

Twenty percent who become infected will develop mild symptoms, including fever, headache, and body aches, occasionally with a skin rash on the trunk of the body and swollen lymph glands. Severe infection symptoms, which approximately 1 in 150 infected persons will develop, include headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, and paralysis. The time from infection to the onset of the disease is usually 3 to 14 days.

Poison Ivy

As young children, we learn “leaves of three, let it be” to remind us to avoid the shiny green leaves (technically leaflets) of Poison ivy (Toxicodendron spp.).  Touching or merely brushing against poison ivy (or coming into contact with contaminated clothing or pet fur), can result in painful swelling, itching, blisters, or a rash in susceptible people.  Poison ivy’s toxicity comes from the chemical urushiol, which is found in all parts of the plant but is most abundant in its sap. Numerous folk remedies have been proposed over the years, ranging from extracts of gumweed (Grindelia spp.) to Epsom salts, and greasy ointments.  Preventing contact and thorough (but gentle) washing remain the best cures. Learn More