When I was a kid in central Pennsylvania I played in the woods all the time and never once remember a tick. Now in Missouri all you have to do is walk under a tree and they drop on you.
I’m here in MO too. My area is tick infested. When I went into the woods in IL and WI 80s and 90s, never had a tick. I’m sure in WI they were there, but not in numbers.
Something has happened the last 10 years. Ticks seem to be exploding in numbers and their disease carrying ability has mutated. A Phd in FL has hypothesized that the Lone Star tick (which is common in MO) may now be carrying a disease that mimics Lyme. It might be what I have or maybe I have Lyme.
Had to go out of state for treatment because Docs here in MO say “we don’t have lyme in MO”. Sure, lyme ticks respect borders and travel only where they are supposed to go according to the CDC.