My nemesis in the woods is poison ivy and it's relatives. I'm severely allergic, a severe exposure can require hospitalization. Since I work in underground utilities, I'm constantly on the watch for it and despite my best efforts usually get at least a mild case a couple times per year.
Recently, I visited family in South Carolina to help them get the forested portion of their new homestead in order and come up with a management plan. Part of the project was dropping a few dead loblolly pines that were quite large, and using the logs for some projects. I was informed of the presence of poison oak in the area, so took extreme care not to contact any of the undergrowth, and remove and clean clothes and my body immediately after work with Fels Naptha. What I didn't know, was that the stuff grows on vines down there! Big, nasty, hairy vines that were twining all around the trees I was cutting, milling and manhandling. I thought the vines were just virginia creeper or muscadine. Didn't quite require the hospital, but did get some prescription meds and was pretty miserable for a week. I'll take the MN cold vs poison ivy that climbs trees!
What are some of your home remedies and precautions to avoid the urishol family while in the woods hunting, working, etc? Good method of killing the viney stuff?
