Is there any good way to prevent ticks from latching on? I did 10.5 miles in Seminole State Forest last weekend and brought home 12 of the buggers.

I'd like to get some tips on this also. I went to Etoniah Creek SF today and had to bushwack around a downed tree on the trail and picked up several. I picked off at least 15 before I lost count. When I got home there were more I had missed as well as some in my underwear and socks. I hope I got em' all!!!

As much as I hate using both, DEET and Permethrin (for clothing only) are about the only prevention methods I know of. After hiking off-season (aka tick season), I dump my clothes in the washer immediately when I get home (it's in the garage) and take an as-hot-as-I-can-stand-it bath to kill whatever ticks or chiggers are still hanging in there. Of course, that only works for day hikes.

I found this webpage of interest, seems they have the same problem in the UK, too!
http://www.tickpreventionweek.org/topten/