Mikael Bedell, MD
July 20, 2026
Mikael Bedell, MD is a Family Practitioner at St. Peter’s Health. He has more than 20 years of experience in comprehensive, rural family medicine.
If you’ve ever taken a hike in Montana, there’s a good chance you may have met one of our state’s most determined hitchhikers: the tick. These seemingly indestructible arachnids are cousins of spiders. They don’t jump or fly. Instead, they tend to climb up grass or brush, stretch out their little arms, and wait for something warm-blooded to walk by. That could be a deer, a dog, or you. Once they latch on, they look for a cozy spot to take a blood meal. Gross? Yes. Avoidable? Also, yes.
Montana is home to several tick species, but the big players are the Rocky Mountain wood tick, which is common in grassy, shrubby areas; the American dog tick, which loves dogs but won’t say no to humans; and most recently identified, the deer tick. Ticks are most active in spring and early summer-right when Montanans are busting to get outside. They tend to be less active in the winter, yet are always looking for a host.
Montana sees much less tick related disease than most parts of the country. However, ticks in the Rocky Mountain area can spread disease such Rocky Mountain spotted fever, which causes fever, rash, and can be serious if untreated; tularemia, which is rare but can make you very sick; and Colorado tick fever, a viral illness carried by the Rocky Mountain wood tick. Lyme disease is possible in Montana but very uncommon and is most likely acquired during travel to an area of the country where Lyme disease is common.
You can outsmart ticks
Ticks may be sneaky, but they’re not geniuses.
- Wearing long sleeves and pants, especially in light colors, helps you spot ticks easily.
- Using insect repellent with DEET or permethrin (for clothing only) is effective. You can purchase permethrin treated socks which come in fun colors.
- Tucking your pants into your socks can help deter those little buggers from crawling up your leg.
- Staying on the trail is helpful because ticks often hang out in tall grass and brush, not on well-worn paths.
- Wear a hat, especially important for those smaller, younger hikers. Learned this the hard way years ago after carrying our daughter around in a backpack for the day - ended up picking off more than 20 ticks from her head. Not my favorite thing. But she wasn’t bothered!
Check for ticks
After being outdoors, do tick checks everywhere on your whole body, especially warm, hidden spots. Showering soon after being outside helps wash off ticks before they attach. Consider putting your clothing in a dryer on high for about 10 minutes which can kill hitchhikers in your clothing. And don’t forget to check outdoor pets, especially pooches running around and through the brush, as they can bring ticks inside.
What to do if you find a tick
If you find a tick, don’t panic. With fine-tipped tweezers grab the tick close to the skin. Pull the tick away from the skin with steady, even pressure. Don't twist or jerk the tick. Do not use petroleum jelly, heat, nail polish, or other substances to try and make the tick detach from the skin. This may agitate the tick and force infected fluid from the tick into the skin. Clean the area with soap and water. Not all ticks carry disease, and those that do must have time for their blood meal.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has a great section about ticks including a Tick Bite Guide which provides directions on how to treat a tick bite and also whether or not to contact your health professional. Certainly, reach out to your health professional if you feel sick or have symptoms you think are related to the tick bite.
Montana is too beautiful to stay inside worrying about tiny bloodsuckers. With a few smart habits, you can hike, camp, fish, and explore without fear.