She stood looking alert with her fawn standing nearby. What a sight! Chances were that there was another newborn in the vicinity as well.
A couple of weeks ago, reports began to filter in about fawns being seen. It happens every year with young animals. Every encounter is special and will be shared with family, friends and countless others.
Right now, it’s common to see does with fawns. And no doubt as this year’s newborn deer grow stronger and become more mobile, you will see more of them. For those of us who spend time afield, it is interesting to observe the young of the year and how they exhibit various stages of maturity.
Right now you’ll find deer almost everywhere, and there is a reason for that.
During the spring and just prior to giving birth, adult does become very territorial. This is when the family group of mothers and last year’s fawns disperse. By the end of May, mom will have sent her young from last year packing. The young deer have been nurtured and mentored long enough and are set out on their own. Once more the pregnant doe will prepare to give birth.
This is a time when deer increasingly fall victim to vehicle accidents. It stands to reason as deer disperse. Annually the PA Game Commission offers warnings to motorists to be more alert for deer on the move.
From one year to the next, comments fly stating deer have become inbred. To the contrary, it is the social behavior of natural dispersal that keeps the deer healthy and the threat of inbreeding becomes a moot point. Besides, natural dispersal has been taking place long before all the scientific studies proving the fact that the deer herd remains genetically sound, naturally.
Another interesting finding is that in the north the doe will not allow her fawn(s) to follow her for two or three weeks after giving birth. Studies have shown that for the first two to three weeks the doe will keep her fawns hidden. It makes sense because a variety of predators will seek out the young deer of the year.
This being the case, if you see a fawn following its mother, chances are the fawn is more than three weeks old. By then the small deer is exceedingly agile and very fast on its feet. They are so quick on their feet that they can outrun many predators. Yet some will get caught under a variety of conditions.
And speaking of predators, the number one predator of fawns is none other than the black bear. Recent studies have brought that fact to the forefront. The good news is that fawns are most vulnerable for about a month or so when it comes to black bear predation. But don’t blame the black bears for taking a few fawns, after all, it’s part of the natural scheme of things.
Over the course of the next few weeks fawn sightings will become more frequent. Fawns are fascinating to watch, and one neat thing is the manner in which a fawn reacts which provides clues to estimate its age.
The color of a newborn fawn is reddish in color, which is the typical summer coat of a deer. On its back, the fawn has two rows of white spots, one on each side of the spine. Each row of spots will include sixty to eighty spots. On either side of the body an additional hundred or more irregularly sized spots dot its body.
The spots are only tipped white and the hair is completely reddish brown down to the root. As the fawn grows and moves about, the white color eventually wears off.
For the first four days or so, fawns usually lie curled in a circle. Fawns are born with no odor, which also helps to give the newborn added protection.
Up to about four days, the fawn will lie still when discovered. By the sixth day at least half the fawns that are disturbed will run off and are almost impossible for a human to catch. At seven days almost all fawns will run when disturbed. It is also at this age when fawns will wander about and appear they are by themselves. But they are not.
Fawns will nurse from four to ten minutes at a time, about four to six times in a twenty-four hour period. Fawns will consume two to four ounces of milk every four hours. At one week fawns will increase their intake to thirty ounces a day. At three weeks they will take more of mother’s milk and begin supplementing their diet with green vegetation.
Fawns are a sight to behold and provide a thrill every time they are observed. Enjoy nature, but keep your distance. Fawns should not be assumed to be orphaned. In most cases they are not. And if handled, the young deer could be rejected by its mother or fall victim to predation.
Yes, there will be fawns taken by predators. When a fawn that has been killed is found, it raises the ire of many. The good news is that by design fawns being born within a specific timeframe will overwhelm the predator population. Simply put, the predators can’t get them all.
Fawns are fun to watch, and over the weeks to come they will continue to make their presence known.
(Charlie Burchfield is an active member and past president of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association, an active member of the Professional Outdoor Media Association, and the Mason-Dixon Outdoor Writers. Gateway Outdoors e-mail is GWOutdoors@comcast.net)
