This is the season of warm weather and newborn fawns. However, spunky fawns often find themselves in sticky situations and vulnerable to predators and fluke accidents.

During the rescue the doe approached the group several times and was never far from her offspring. Once it was free, the wobbly-legged fawn ran straight to its mom and started nursing.

Finding a Fawn: What To Do

There is a strong probability that you did not find an abandoned fawn. Female deer hide their newborn fawns in tall grass or brush and move some distance away to feed to avoid drawing predators to their offspring. With the proliferation of deer in suburban areas, sometimes this happens right in our own yards.

The fawn simply waits in hiding until its mother returns. Soon, the fawns will be strong enough to follow the does and run from predators, and they no longer need to spend hours alone in hiding.

Though it seems that they are vulnerable, these young fawns are not totally helpless. Their spotted pelts look like dappled sunlight on the forest floor and offer great camouflage. They do not have strong scent that would attract predators.


Fawns are also programmed to keep totally still and quiet when hiding while their mother forages. The combination of the physical attributes and the behavior of both does and fawns are remarkably successful at limiting depredation at such a vulnerable time.


There are cases where it is okay to help lone fawns. If you notice that a fawn is clearly injured or in immediate danger , then it is acceptable to seek help. Start by calling your local animal control department or nature center, who can either take the animal or help locate a licensed wildlife rehabilitator who can. If a hidden fawn is discovered on your property, it’s up to you to keep your pet dogs and your children away from it.