Fishnguy and I discussed this a lot last year. No easy answers. Firstly though, some comments on this thread do not deal with the winter tick (also called moose tick) because this tick does not get on deer, moose, etc, humans in late winter-spring-summer. But, as I mentioned last year, the Peace River country is without doubt the hot spot for winter ticks in Alberta, but we found in our extensive research that virtually every moose, elk or deer get reinfested every autumn into early Nov. of their life. They are tick-free in summer. The aspen parkland ecotone of central Alberta is another hot spot, so 936 has all the host and vegetation ingredients. But humans getting larval stage winter ticks on them in Sept-Oct is a relatively new thing. Die-offs of moose covered with winter ticks over winter was common during my studies (1980 into the year 2000) so why not now in those places where you hunters are getting infested. Do not know, but winter ticks are causing problems for moose through moose range in North America and killing thousands of moose, mainly calves almost yearly in places like New Hampshire and Maine. And moose numbers have decreased significantly in Minnesota and southern Manitoba with winter ticks seeming to play a large role. I published a book that is not very technical called White as a Ghose; Winter Ticks and Moose, published by Nature Alberta, Edmonton, AB. Very inexpensive and I do not make a dime. Lots of photos. If you need more info on how to get it, etc, I am on Facebook ....Bill Samuel. Send me private message and I will converse in email. Good luck folks.
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