I have some excellent grassy patches to work with right now, so that's why I'm sticking to this general area I've scouted before moving on. It's a season of change, like you said, with animal behavior and more people out. In the coming weeks, everything will change dramatically as far as access...
I've been out and about looking for spots recently. With the recent cold snaps, the vegetation is changing color nicely. Finding sign is proving to be very difficult, much more so than in the spring. There are bugs and nuts on the ground everywhere. With food this plentiful, I doubt any flocks...
It's scary and terrible and unfortunately unavoidable. I am using picaridin now, lightly in the winter, but a good amount in warm weather of course.
Still searching for a natural and effective tick repellant. Nootkatone seems really promising but it appears that big chem is purposefully killing...