I lost a beautiful black lab to Lyme disease. I now keep a close eye out for ticks. They are getting bad in SW PA.
I would immediately create an opossum-friendly habitat on my property, and protect them zealously.
Something called tick tubes is supposed to work pretty well.
I suppose, that is, until the ticks become resistant to the insecticide.
Homemade Tick Tubes: A Cheap Way to Kill Ticks
https://www.trueprepper.com/homemade-tick-tubes/