University of Minnesota Says 2021 Could Be A Bad Year for Ticks Get our free mobile app Just as the weather is warming up in Minnesota comes a warning that 2021 could be a bad year for ticks. You'd almost think something like this would have happened LAST year, in the train wreck year that was 2020, right? But, no, it's this year-- 2021-- where we have reason to worry when it comes to ticks here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. At least, that's the word from University of Minnesota Public Health professor Jon Oliver, anyway. And before we even get started on the tick forecast for 2021, besides being an unwanted visitor, ticks are also nasty little buggers. According to the U of M, "many ticks can carry bacteria, viruses and parasites that can harm humans, including Lyme disease and Anaplasmosis," it noted.