We've always a few around but I don't know what happened. The dog and myself can't do anything without having some on us. Never see the bigger dog ticks anymore. Anyone else seeing this??

They have changed the name of the ticks you are referring to; Black legged tick was the former (deer tick)
but you also have the Lone Star tick to contend with

Do your daily tick checks before bed, tuck in your shirt, wear gaiters or put your socks over your pants, treat clothing with permethrin, take precautions. Once you have lymes disease it can stick with you forever and change things, pretty much all in bad ways. Happy trapping! ScottW

haven't been bad this year