11 September 2026

#358 | Tick Prevention for Hunters and Bird Dogs with Travis Avery

Birdshot Podcast

About

Tick prevention for hunters and bird dogs starts before the first walk through cover. Travis Avery of Sawyer Products joins Nick to talk about permethrin, treated clothing, and what happens when a tick reaches that fabric.

I've sprayed my hunting pants for years, but I hadn't spent much time thinking about what the treatment was doing two weeks later. No smell. Nothing I could see. Travis's explanation helped me connect that familiar routine to how the product works. We also discuss treating boots and socks, along with the dog beds and kennel pads I already spray.

We talk about the difference between a fabric treatment and a topical repellent, why drying matters, and how Travis approaches prevention with his dog Murphy. The conversation also covers tick checks and the extra care involved when cats are around. We open with Sawyer's water filters and a few ways they can fit into a hunting vest, a truck, or a trip with the dogs.

The idea is to spend more time in the woods with a routine that makes sense.

Questions from the episodeHow is permethrin different from a topical insect repellent?

Permethrin is the fabric treatment at the center of this conversation. Travis describes it as a contact insecticide, while DEET and picaridin serve as topical repellents. Nick asks how those approaches fit together when a hunter has treated clothing but still has exposed skin. The distinction helped him better understand the routine he already uses.

Why can treated hunting clothes still work two weeks later?

The treatment bonds with the fabric rather than depending on a smell that Nick can detect. Travis compares that bond to dye in a shirt. He describes sunlight and washing as factors that reduce its effectiveness over time. For Nick, that explains why an odorless pair of treated pants can still be part of his routine.

How long does Sawyer's clothing treatment last?

Sawyer describes its clothing treatment as lasting up to six weeks or six washings, whichever comes first. Travis discusses that window alongside sunlight, laundering, and time in the field. Nick connects it to the early grouse season, when he is regularly walking through tick cover. The current product label gives the application and retreatment directions.

What changed in Nick's thinking about bird dogs and ticks?

Nick already uses an oral preventive for his setters and treats their beds and kennel pads. Hearing how permethrin works on contact made him curious about treating the dogs themselves. Travis describes his routine with Murphy and points listeners to Sawyer's dog-specific instructions. That conversation is about an additional layer, with the product label and a veterinarian guiding any individual dog's use.

Where does water filtration fit into a bird-hunting trip?

Travis carries a filter when fly fishing and describes options for a hunting vest, truck, cabin, or group camp. Nick starts from a place where water is usually available, then thinks about western hunts and carrying enough for himself and the dogs. They also discuss the limits of standard filters, including viruses and chemical contamination.

Connect with Sawyer

Sawyer Products: https://www.sawyer.com/
Permethrin product details and dog application instructions: https://www.sawyer.com/products/permethrin-fabric-treatment
Sawyer on Instagram: https://instagram.com/sawyerproducts

Listen and follow

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Website: https://www.birdshotpodcast.com/