Have you noticed more skunks lately?  You aren't alone, it turns out there's a reason you're noticing more of our smelly friends than usual.

What's That Smell?

The other day, I was driving and went past a skunk that had been hit by a car (as smelly as these guys are, I don't want them to get hurt, so I mean RIP little dude), but after passing it, my car filled with that all too familiar stench.  Immediately, my three-year-old piped up from the backseat and went, "Ew, mommy, what IS that?"  Now whenever he smells anything bad he tells me there's a skunk nearby haha!

Now I have noticed more skunks than usual lately, so I did some Googling and learned that yes, we may actually notice an uptick in skunks during this time of year.  So if you feel like you're noticing more skunks than usual, it's probably because you are!

Noticing More Skunks Than Usual?

According to Indiana DNR, skunks typically mate around February/March and the babies are usually born around May.  The babies stay in the den until they're old enough to leave, typically around 2 months old, and then they stay outside of the den, but follow mama around for a few months.

If many skunks are born around May, that would mean around this time of year, they will be leaving the den.  This could potentially explain the uptick in skunks this time of year.

How to Keep Skunks Out Of Your Yard

Personally, if I didn't have a dog, I wouldn't care too much about skunks being in my yard, as Indiana DNR says they're generally not aggressive and will only spray if they feel cornered or attacked.   However, I'm really not trying to deal with having to bathe my dog to get the skunk smell off of him and out of my home, so I'd rather skunks not be around my yard (honestly, for their safety, and my dog's safety too)!

According to the Indiana DNR, there are a few things you can do to help keep skunks from coming around your yard, including:

• Turning on a radio for noise to deter them
• Keep bird feeders and garbage cans in the garage at night
• Keep potential den sites closed off
• Block any access points to sheds, garages, etc...