New Jersey is entering tick season. Experts say it is important to be aware of one's environment while outdoors to prevent the spread of tick-borne illnesses.

Health experts say that to prevent tick bites, one should spray tick repellent on exposed skin, wear long sleeves and pants, tuck pants into socks and do frequent tick checks. They say that the last step applies to both people and pets.

"Some of these pathogens can be transmitted quite quickly, so you want to avoid tick bites at all costs,” says Dr. Bobbi Pritt, a pathologist and clinical microbiologist with Mayo Clinic. "If you find a tick, don't panic. If the tick is embedded, you just want to remove it as quickly as possible."

Pritt says that to safely remove a tick, use fine-tip tweezers, grasp the tick as close as possible to the skin and pull it out in one motion.