Love stinks… especially during skunk mating season, which happens to be going on now.

According to TWRA, February is mating season for skunks in Tennessee, so you’ll probably begin seeing more of the little stinkers – and smelling them – more than usual over the next few weeks.

Tennessee is home to striped skunks as well as Eastern spotted skunks. Striped skunks are the more common of the two species; they’re also slightly larger and not quite as aromatic as their spotted brethren.

If you happen to find amorous skunks in your yard, keep your distance – and keep your pets a safe distance away. A “safe distance” is considered more than 15 feet away. And because skunks don’t have the greatest eyesight, making a lot of noise (yes, from a distance) can work to scare them off from your property.

If you should happen to get sprayed, we’ve got a solution for you. Literally.

In a large, open container, mix together one quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide solution with ¼ cup baking soda and one to two teaspoons of dish soap. Be sure to wear rubber gloves while you work. Work the solution into a lather and leave it on the sprayed area for five minutes or more – until the bubbling stops.

Skunks have a gestation period of 62 to 66 days (roughly nine weeks). Litters of 2 to 16 kits are usually born in May or June.