Million Dollar Idea: A Device to Remove These Things

Over the weekend I spent a lot of time outside. It was the early antlerless firearm season, and in the past few years, my dad and I have used this weekend not only as a way to get some fresh venison in the freezer but also as a way to get out in the woods and check the deer stands for the upcoming season opener.

This year was no exception to the rule. I got home on Friday and was out in the woods in time for the evening hunt. Walking into my desired spot reminded me of my least favorite part of the whole experience. I don't mind dragging deer, or being in the cold all day. But what drives me up the wall is being covered in these little sticker plants.

The technical name for these annoying plants is Hackelia virginiana aka Virginia Stickseed. MinnesotaWildFlowers.info shared:

It is doubtful anyone has taken many autumn walks in the woods without sooner or later ending up with a kazillion of these sticky seeds on their legs or socks as well as their pet's hair.

That's for sure.

Get our free mobile app

So what do you do when you end up covered in hundreds of these tiny burs? I know I've had many a shirt wrecked by them. This past weekend I just slowly picked them off my body as I patiently waited for a deer to walk by. But that takes forever, and I just got covered in more when I walked out of the woods.

A tip online at MidwestWhiteTail.com said:

A dry floor dusting pad like a Swiffer takes all the aggravation out of removal. It has kept more than one shirt from hitting the trash lately.

Another option I saw online involved taking a plastic comb (like the one you'd get on school picture day) and gently coming them off your clothing that way. That method also works for getting them off your dogs and other pets.

There is no tried-and-true method for saving yourself from these stickers from your person, so if you created a device that actually worked for humans and animals, you'd have yourself a million-dollar idea.