Oh Deer! There’s an ‘Abandoned’ Fawn in My Yard

Every spring the Health Department receives an uptick in the number of reports of “abandoned” fawns being left by moms for short periods of time. 

These wild babies are adorable and arouse our protective instincts, but more than likely the mother is still around.  Our first bit of advice is do not touch the fawn and leave it where you found it.

Ninety-nine percent of our "Fawn Calls" do not involve orphans.  Generally, if there is no dead doe in the area or on nearby roads, the fawn is not an orphan.

Fawns are born in late May through the end of June, with the peak number born in early June. Mother deer often give birth at night in areas (such as people's front yards) which may seem perfectly safe at night but differ drastically during daylight hours.

For the first 5 days after birth, fawns will not run when approached. Instead, they will exhibit "freeze behavior". They lie still when approached, even permitting handling with little resistance. From the 7th day on, fawns will exhibit "flight behavior" when approached. By one month of age fawns venture out to browse with their mothers.

Coyotes, dogs, cats, raccoons, construction, etc. are not reasons for fawn removal. These are things that deer must encounter on a daily basis in New Jersey. Fawns do not give off a scent and their spotted coats also serve to help camouflage them and keep them safe. A mother deer will move her fawn away from danger if given the chance and often, does will not return to their fawns until well after dark, for fear of leading a predator to the fawn. 

Keep yourself and pets far away from the fawn. It may take a good 24 – 48 hours for a doe to feel safe enough to return to her fawn. If the fawn has wandered into your garage, or other precarious position, gently coax the fawn out or move to a quiet, nearby site while wearing gloves. Do not move the fawn too far.

Above all do no harm! If the fawn appears to be orphaned or injured, please call Ewing Township Animal Control.  Another excellent resource for information is the Mercer County Wildlife Center.  Call them directly at 609-303-0552.

The above applies to young fawns only (under 3 months of age). 

This information is available in a Ewing Township Animal Control tipsheet.