I just found a newborn deer in my yard - Advice?

[superme80]

Also this will probably happen more frequently. When a doe finds a safe place, they will leave their fawns there. We have a large patch of blackberries. The does will frequently leave their babies their and come back.

 

[_19disnA]

When we used to live in another part of the country, we saw a lot of deer walking around our area. Occasionally you might see a fawn sitting in the bushes and you aren't likely to notice unless up close to it. There is no reason to call anyone unless it appears injured.

 

[fly girl]

Also this will probably happen more frequently. When a doe finds a safe place, they will leave their fawns there. We have a large patch of blackberries. The does will frequently leave their babies their and come back.

This was exactly my thoughts. OP may have a recurring visitor. My neighbors had that and it was cool to watch nature outside your window. Especially babies!

 

[China Expat]

yes...leave it be. Mom will be back!

 

[kymom99]

The deer around here leave the babies right out in the open. Below is pic I took from the deck of one we had visiting.

One year my goofy neighbors were out there standing around a poor little baby, pointing and gesturing. Hopefully they didn’t touch it.

Well, I can’t get the picture to load. It was cute though.

 

[Mysterian]

Anyone else wanting to see this baby deer?

Please show us the baby deer when/if it returns!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Anyone else wanting to see this baby deer?

Please show us the baby deer when/if it returns!

Not the OP but I was looking for the photo of the one time I was immediately thinking of but couldn't find it where they very young baby was under the tree/bush. I have a ton of other deer photos though, my phone has cat photos and deer photos lol

 

[Genie+]

Anyone else wanting to see this baby deer?

Please show us the baby deer when/if it returns!

https://imgur.com/a/FULYdPW

 

[BrianL]

https://imgur.com/a/FULYdPW

View attachment 767298

Awww - so cute! That's a safe place too because he blends right in.

 

[Disneefun]

We get them in the woods behind our house all the time. We're a prime plunking ground for fawns. I see them most often at night when I go out with the dog (she's on a leash). Sometimes I'll shine the flashlight in the right place and see a pair of eyes low to the ground, watching me. If I get up early enough in the morning, I can see the fawn, but by mid morning, mom has come and moved it.

 

[gmi3804]

Sad story: As I said, there are lots of deer in our area (I was living across the street from the forest preserve). I was exiting the highway one day and there was a backup. When I got to the cause, I saw that a foal had been hit by a car, and the doe was lying next to it, protecting it. They both must have been so scared. I felt so bad.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

Sad story: As I said, there are lots of deer in our area (I was living across the street from the forest preserve). I was exiting the highway one day and there was a backup. When I got to the cause, I saw that a foal had been hit by a car, and the doe was lying next to it, protecting it. They both must have been so scared. I felt so bad.

I have a similar story. We were driving down a back road in New Jersey, and came upon a doe who had probably been hit by a car and was obviously dead. Two little fauns were just standing there with the body. We pulled over and called the cops, who advised us to call fish and wildlife and gave us the number. We waited for them and when they showed up to collect the babies I asked what would happen to them, and the two guys said they were terribly sorry but they'd likely be euthanized because they were so tiny. I cried all the way home. It's the saddest thing I've ever seen.

 

[gmi3804]

I have a similar story. We were driving down a back road in New Jersey, and came upon a doe who had probably been hit by a car and was obviously dead. Two little fauns were just standing there with the body. We pulled over and called the cops, who advised us to call fish and wildlife and gave us the number. We waited for them and when they showed up to collect the babies I asked what would happen to them, and the two guys said they were terribly sorry but they'd likely be euthanized because they were so tiny. I cried all the way home. It's the saddest thing I've ever seen.

Why couldn't they just leave them alone? Tiny things grow.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

Why couldn't they just leave them alone? Tiny things grow.

Likely they were too tiny to survive on their own. They were just standing there with the body. It's making me cry just remembering the poor things, now.

 

[GAN]

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Why couldn't they just leave them alone? Tiny things grow.

It's similar to how people get wildlife euthanized in national parks, some animals can't survive once something happens between mother (or herd) and them. That said I assume there's a cutoff for when truly baby deer could and couldn't live and some may be related to where someone lives with the environment (especially predators or lack of natural habitat and inability to relocate them or rehab them). I would hope that someone's wildlife department is making good choices about this and not just euthanizing indiscriminately.

My limited google search reflects 45-60 days old from the National Deer Association for when baby deer can survive on their own. From my limited google search last night for when deer lose their spots (as we have seen enough deer with spots still there) it's approximately 90-120 days of age.

 

[kymom99]

Why couldn't they just leave them alone? Tiny things grow.

If they were nursing, they would starve without their mother.

 

[Genie+]

That’s such a great story!

 

[GAN]

That’s such a great story!

I have a Bernese and can vouch ...they're an unusual mix of tenderness and loyal protection of their "people"

 

[Disneefun]

If they were nursing, they would starve without their mother.

Yeah, and if you bring them in and bottle feed them, they'll likely have to live in captivity their whole life. And most zoos have enough deer, and they're so big and boundy they'd be almost impossible to keep, even on a farm.

Fun story: We were at WDW and were turning off Osceola onto the off ramp there where it goes around behind Pop Century. There was a chain link-type fence there at the time bordering the back of Pop that I'm sure was at least 5ft tall. Maybe 6, hard to judge. I saw a male deer, in the middle of the day, cross the parkway, hit the grass and then leap that fence into the weeds behind Pop. He was huge and boy could he leap! Cleared it with room to spare.