What do you guys recommend? Will any old thing work or is there a tried and true brand you fellas run? Got a fishing trip lined up and the guide said to bring one. Also, what kind of bug dope do you like to keep the horde at bay? Any other recommendations for the battle that awaits me? I have a thermacell but I'm not sure the regulations on flying with one. Probably leave it at home. Thanks in advance!

Don't follow the guide's advice. Bring TWO headnets. They're cheap, light and critical.

I hate head nets and seldom wear one, but there are times......

I prefer bug dope, strength depends on density and voraciousness of the bugs. Can't go wrong with 100% DEET tho. Sure, it will remove paint, soften plastic, and make your lips go numb - which is probably why you don't want to use it while fishing, especially with bait. Fish with numb lips don't bite well.

My younger son won't use bug dope - only head nets. He lives in Fairbanks.

There were times in the Arctic, when 100% DEET would have to be re-applied every 10 minutes or so. Squadrons of the little bastards would lick it off, I think, for the REMF's benefit.... and they were pretty good at getting inside the nets, too. You will want one with a neck string, and tuckable inside your clothes.

I have a tent with 100's of old blood stains in it. Most of it mine, from squished skeeters. What fun! ( I'd like to get hold of the person/people that banned Buhach (Permythian? flower dust) and take him/her up there!)

So there you go..... 2 fine- mesh nets is a good suggestion, per above. Most any brand will work- but get the fine mesh ones.

You might also want to check into the permythium spray for your clothing. Can't hurt, might help- not used it myself.

I have black netting and green netting. The black is much easier to see through.

And wear them both at the same time.

Wisdom here. While bear hunting, I wore one under my cap and one over it. The inside one had an area cut out to see through. The one over my cap kept the bugs away so they could not bite. The two on my neck and head kept them at bay there. Tuck in everywhere. I even wore two pairs of gloves. Last year in AK I got a few bites from some evil red colored mosquito like things. They raised welts that took weeks to go down. I always throw an extra or two in my duffel.

Put some fabric softener sheets in your hat band!

When I worked up there, the shop had Army surplus ones for us. The few times I wore them, they did OK. I preferred the highest Deet level I could get in a repellent. Thermacell most likely will not be totally effective, but in conjunction with one or both of the others, you should do OK. That is until you go to bed (if you are camping). The constant sound of buzzing makes it hard to get to sleep, especially with the amount of sunlight in the summer.

+1

Do not eat bananas, drink beer, or wear head nets... and it will be fine.

Spray your clothing with Permethrin (Sawyer's).

Take with you, Picaridin 20. Doesn't smell and isn't greasy and use on any exposed skin. Works really well.

Cabela's has decent headnets. Online camo fabric stores sell great bug netting that you can drape over a boonie or cut a hole just big enough for your boonie to fit through.

I cannot remember ever wearing a headnet for more than a few minutes...

Getcherself a boonie hat to wear under the headnet. The brim will keep the netting material away from your head. Ben's 100 cut with alcohol to about 75%, and permethrin to treat your clothing.

Had to use one of those cheese cloth game bags once while hunting caribou on the slope. Caribou wasn't dead 2 minutes before the noseeums and white socks showed up and we didn't have head nets. Brutal little bastards they are.

Do youself a big favor and get yourself a couple of Thermacell units and enough stuff to feed for the time you will be outdoors. I have spent 100's of hours in a headnet and now when hoarded by mosquitoes I take out the Thermacell and they go away.

Even with a Thermacell when in bad bug country I will wear or carry a light in weight and color nylon anorak ideally with elastic cuffs opposed to the more common velcro ones. In the kangaroo pouch is always a headnet and a lightweight pair of wool gloves and on my head is a baseball cap. The visor of the baseball cap keeps the net off you face, if they can reach flesh through the netting you will get bit. If things get bad I zip the anorak down put the head net over the baseball cap and then the hood of the anorak over the top of that and then zip the anorak up.

The anorak is great because you can wear it against bare skin, in the arctic the bugs are worse on the days that are, or seem, 80 degrees plus so you want the lightest protection against bugs that you can get and that is lightweight nylon other lightweight fabrics may allow them to bite through. The anorak can be rinsed off at night and will easily be dry by AM. The wool gloves keep the hands from getting chewed raw by the flying jaws and are light enough that they allow you to do just about anything else you need to do.

Long story short carry the Thermacell,
wade

I fuggin hate wearing a head net. I've almost been to the point of bringing one before, but last years early bou hunt was enough to sway me. Cutting up my boys bou and getting destroyed by whitesocks sucked.

Mist the headset with a squirter of deet store in zip lock...no bugs ...

The "evil red colored mosquito like things" are a biting fly. I'd rather get a yellow-jacket sting than a bite from one of those things.

They are deterred by DEET, though. The hatches of spring black flies along the coast couldn't care less how much DEET you have on.

1. I like Coleman dry formula spray 25% Deet max
2. 100% Deet last longer but I hate the greasy feel especially in a no shower enviorment. I know it melts plastic and affects True Oil gunstock finishes. Test before hand to see if it melts your headnet.
3. Treat clothes with permitherin. Cheapest and most effective clothes treatment is to dip clothes in diluted liquid 10% concentrate bought from feed store and let clothes air dry. Dilution instructions on internet.
4. Bug spray, butane cartribges for Themacel and bear spray are not allowed on passenger aircraft. Buy them in Anchorage or if connecting flight have your outfitter get them for you if you can't buy them at final destination.
5. A brimmed hat keeps the headnet away from skin so skeeters cannot bite through netting. They do try though. I like the Filson Tin Cloth Packer Hat.
You can get buy with a hoodie and a small bottle of 100% Deet in squeeze bottle.

#3...10%?? 20 times the strength recommended by most agencies.

Keep your health insurance premiums up to date!

Thanks for the advice gents!

Joe: I said 10% solution diluted. I did not say to use the 10% concentrate straight from the bottle. And I do keep my life insurance premiums up to date because of people like you wandering around. Especialy if they let you carry a badge and a gun. But feel free continue to follow me around misreading my posts.

Wow! Mommy Karen lives!

You still mad about your hippie mommy's failed abortion??

Give her back her laptop...you're not good at the internet thingy, especially the reading and writing parts.

Depending on your hunt date, prepare for "no-see-ums" on your ankles and wrists. Bring dope for that and itch relief.

It's August 20th in Kodiak. Been told to bring a cooler along as checked baggage because they're 3x the price compared to home. Doing a river trip and then 3 days on the ocean. Got everything lined up for the lodging and charters but was wondering on transportation. Was told to just Uber it. Any other recommendations? Temp?