Illinois, If Your Yard Smells Musky, Look Out For This Immediately

We're spending more time outside and there's a specific smell to watch out for.

Spring and summer are fun times of the year. We're outside a lot, whether it's hanging out in our yards having barbecues, or in the pool. Birds are chirping, nature is back out and about, it's fun.

It's the season of powerwashing, lawnmowing, and taking care of our yards too. And as we're doing that, it's important to notice if it's not smelling particularly grassy.

What's With The Smell?

Musky isn't always a pleasant scent in your perfumes. It's like body odor, or like you just stuck your nose in wildlife fur. It smells raw and dirty.

A persistent musky smell in your yard is probably a skunk, according to the Humane Society. You'll notice it most around your house, a shed, or a woodpile, if you have one in your yard. You'll probably smell a skunk before you see it.

If you notice it, look around the yard for small, shallow holes. Those could be from a skunk that's foraging around for food.

The good news is that you don't have to do anything if you find a skunk in your yard except avoid it. Skunks are easy-going and won't mess with you if you don't mess with them. Even if you tick one off, it will give you a lot of warning (like hissing, stomping their front feet) before it sprays you.

Definitely keep a close eye on your dogs if you find what is probably a skunk in your yard. Dogs ignore those warning signs, making them much more likely to be sprayed and make your house stinky.