No ticks Don?   My brother told me that fable when we moved here.   The dog proved to be test strip for that theory, and the claim has failed.  We've picked up numerous ticks in the valley.    Still, they are dense and I've yet to pick up a tick, which was not unusual thing to happened looking for morels in the Iowa spring.    Mosquitoes attack at dusk, but are overbearing like some area.     

As Don points out no area is perfect and each has its character.  I do love the Oregon landscape, and it's life enforcing every time I look at our beautiful vista's.     I hope it's a blessings for the next 1000 years.