What to do about Deer Flies?

Here's a timely question that came to us via Facebook:

"Any recommendations for deer fly repellents that actually work?"

I wish I had a good answer here. Now is the time of year when I find myself swatting the deer flies on runs through the woods. Even the Ghost Town Trail isn't safe. A friend of mine in Florida theorized that he could outrun the biting buggers at 6-minute-per-mile pace. I've tried that. Didn't work. I just got tired AND bit.

So I tend to either flail away whilst running through the woods, or avoid the woods outright. But upon seeing this question, I wondered if the internet had any wisdom to offer... because the internet is always right.

I discovered that there are no shortage of products that claim to repel deer flies. Some runners testify that spraying these products on hats and clothes can limit the deer fly bites. But I found no ringing endorsements of this approach.

The "Deer Fly Patch," though, did generate some positive buzz. Looks kinda gross, but runners specialize in all things gross (See: "The Farmer's Blow").

Here's a handy video:

  

I'm thinking that double-sided tape would work just as well. Or if you're really interested in drawing some strange looks, how about this: 

  Runblogger.com explains...

my friend Jim just posted a picture on Facebook showing a little contraption that he made to deal with the flies so that he could continue to get in his runs on his favorite trails. He coated a plastic cup with some sticky stuff called Tanglefoot, pinned it to his running hat, and took off through the woods. Here's what he had to say: "One 'trolling deer fly trap' + one slow jog on the local trails = 50+ deer flies, DEAD!!! Silly, fun, and effective. I shall reclaim my beloved trails now, thankyouverymuch." 

American ingenuity at its best.

So good luck with the deer flies, Ebensburg runners. And if you have any insights on keeping these winged assassins at bay, please share your wisdom with us.