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deerfly patches: real help or just hype?

We spent the weekend hiking the Superior Hiking Trail up in northern Minnesota. You know how it is—beautiful woods, the sound of the wind in the trees, but then the deerflies show up and suddenly it’s like you’re in a horror movie. I’ve always rolled my eyes at those Deerfly Patches people talk about. I mean, how could a little sticky square on your hat make any difference when you’re getting swarmed? But after swatting at bugs for half an hour, I finally caved and slapped one on. Two hours later, I looked at my hat and it was covered in stuck deerflies—way more than I ever expected. I still got a few bites, but it was nothing compared to before. Here’s the thing: I’m still not sure if I looked ridiculous walking around with a patch full of bugs on my head, or if I should just be grateful it worked. Has anyone else tried these patches on their hikes? Did you get weird looks from other hikers, or is everyone secretly wearing them now? I’m torn between feeling relieved and feeling like I’ve fallen for a silly gimmick. Hiking used to be about the views, now it’s about outsmarting bugs! #hikinglife #deerflypatches #minnesotatrails #Travel