  We present an investigation of the influence of low-levels of chemical
substitution on the magnetic ground state and N{\' e}el skyrmion lattice (SkL)
state in GaV$_4$S$_{8-y}$Se$_y$, where $y =0, 0.1, 7.9$, and $8$. Muon-spin
spectroscopy ($\mu$SR) measurements on $y=0$ and 0.1 materials reveal the
magnetic ground state consists of microscopically coexisting incommensurate
cycloidal and ferromagnetic environments, while chemical substitution leads to
the growth of localized regions of increased spin density. $\mu$SR measurements
of emergent low-frequency skyrmion dynamics show that the SkL exists under
low-levels of substitution at both ends of the series. Skyrmionic excitations
persist to temperatures below the equilibrium SkL in substituted samples,
suggesting the presence of skyrmion precursors over a wide range of
temperatures.
