Tick season in Missouri: Prevention tips for hikers
Temperatures are getting warmer and grass is getting greener. You may feel a sudden urge to return to your favorite hiking trail this spring! But not so fast. Tick season in Missouri is also nearing its peak meaning you'll want to do a few things to prepare before hitting the trails.
Ticks forage for food using a strategy known as questing. They climb to the top of tall grass and wait for a mammal or a person to pass by. They are most common in high animal traffic areas, including along the edges of hiking trails.
There are 3 common types of ticks in the Ozarks. The most common type is the Lone Star Tick. The other common types are deer ticks and dog ticks. The most concerning as far as disease goes is the Lone Star tick.
Visit the Missouri Department of Conservation website for more on Missouri ticks.
The Lone Star tick is the main culprit of alpha-gal syndrome, a disease that causes an allergic reaction to eating red meat. Other tick-borne diseases include Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, Ehrlichiosis, and more.
So what can you do to lower your risk of a tick bite while enjoying nature? It's best to dress in long and tight clothing that covers your skin. A lightweight long-sleeve t-shirt is a good idea during the hot summer months. Long pants like jeans keep you from directly contacting grass where ticks can be lying in wait.
You can also wear long socks that are tighter against your skin. This helps prevent ticks from being able to latch onto your feet and ankles.
When looking at bug repellents, you'll want to buy a repellent that has a higher concentration of deet. Most name brands contain 25% deet, but certain brands contain up to 40%. Other companies offer pyrethran repellents, but be sure to only apply this kind to your clothes and not directly to your skin.
Ticks can be tricky to remove given their size, but you definitely want to remove them immediately. Use tweezers or a specific tick-removing tool when removing a tick. You'll want to pinch the tick as close to your skin as you can to avoid squeezing any of the tick's fluids into you (gross!).
There are symptoms to watch out for after a tick bites you. Look for a reddish ring around the bite site, rash, headache, and aching muscles and joints. Seek medical attention if you notice these symptoms following a tick bite.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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