I use Sawyers Permethrin Spray on my clothes when it’s tick season and I wear light colored clothes so as to see any better.
I have ordered some nematodes from Arbico that are supposed to help with deer tick control. We’ll see how that goes. I understand that Guinea hens are virtual tick vacuums, but they are noisy and I am not yet ready to be tied down by animals.
I like to travel when I want with a minimum of interference. Every spring I have seedlings to manage, and that’s enough hauling them around if we’re going to be out of town for more than a day or two.
Guinea keets are nearly wild. You have to pen them in for a while when you first get them so they know where home is, else they’re apt to wander off never to be seen again. After they know where home is, they sleep in the trees so they’re pretty much zero maintenance. You could go away for a month and they’d be there when you got back. They are loud though.
Guineas ARE tick vacuums and they are good “watch birds”! You will know if someone is in the yard/around the house.
Our experience has been that regular chickens running around the yard do a good job on ticks, too. You also have the added advantage of getting eggs along with tick control.