Motherless fawns

DanL · Jul 10, 2010

Two fawns have been hanging out in our backyard for the last week and I have yet to see the mother. Hopefully a fox or coyote doesn't get them.

RON (PA) · Jul 10, 2010

Beautiful pics...I hope mom comes around soon...any chance you can feed them and keep them safe

River Rat · Jul 10, 2010

Aww, too cute. The one in the 1st pic, looks like some type of injury on it's hind leg. :dontknow:

RR

DanL · Jul 10, 2010

RON (PA) said:
Beautiful pics...I hope mom comes around soon...any chance you can feed them and keep them safe

There's lots of food and fresh water, in fact, they were feeding when I took the picture. I really don't have a way to keep them safe -- not sure they'd get along with my 70 lb shepherd/doberman/lab mix.

River Rat said:
Aww, too cute. The one in the 1st pic, looks like some type of injury on it's hind leg.

RR

I don't think it's an injury. I think it's just briers stuck in the fur. If it is an injury, it's certainly not serious based on how she jumps and runs.

Zane · Jul 11, 2010

One hopes the mother is still around,
but if you havent seen her in that length
of time, she may not be. But there is plenty
for them to eat and as long as they can survive
for a few more weeks, then they should make it.

rginn · Jul 11, 2010

You got some excellent pics, DanL. It might sound cold hearted, but don't intentionally feed them or try to keep them 'safe'. Many times you will see fawns and never see the mother, but believe me she is always somewhere in the area. If you have some concerns, call your state wildlife department. And for everybody else, in Oklahoma you can be arrested and jailed and fined heavily for catching fawns and attempting to raise them, and it's probably the same in most other states. And for any other 'wild' animal also, in most cases.

DanL · Jul 13, 2010

Well, they're still around. Wife called last night (I'm on a business trip) and said both were curled up in the grass next to the house sleeping. Still no signs of mommy doe.

bottlebum · Jul 13, 2010

Nice shots Dan. The fawns look old enough to survive OK. They must feel that they have found a safe place or else they wouldn't be hanging around. Maybe the mother got hit by a car or something. Anyways, thanks for posting the pics.
Bottlebum

Felinepeachy · Jul 13, 2010

I wouldn't be able to resist at least giving them a bit of alfalfa. Too cute! :tongue3:

DanL · Jul 13, 2010

bottlebum said:
Nice shots Dan. The fawns look old enough to survive OK. They must feel that they have found a safe place or else they wouldn't be hanging around. Maybe the mother got hit by a car or something. Anyways, thanks for posting the pics.
Bottlebum

Well, unfortunately my wife came home from work today and found one dead in our front yard. I didn't notice when taking the pictures but she said one was much smaller/scrawnier than the other and the smallest one is the one that died. She's really upset. :'(

Hopefully the other one will be fine.

DanL · Jul 13, 2010

texastee2007 said:
they still need milk do you know anyone with a goat? don't you have a human society or a parks and wildlife?

I'll probably try calling the humane society and/or county if the fawn is still around when I get home on Thursday. I doubt the county will do anything though. Even though we live in a residential area, we have way too many deer as it is, so many in fact that the county hires sharpshooters to go in the woods behind our house to thin the herds once or twice a year. During the winter I can see, from our kitchen window, single herds as large as 20-30 walking along the river bank.

Mental Granny · Jul 14, 2010

The deer are getting pushed into people areas more and more . The area right across from our hospital and shopping center is full of deer extremely busy an every few weeks you can see a deers been hit. The houses right behind it, on the bus last year we'd look to see which lawn the flock of turkeys were in and about a block away herd of deer. And in the shopping center there is a steak house, and dumpster diving about 2 monthes ago was a bobcat. And this is a very, very busy area, so far I've not heard of any thining hunters sent out but, I've been expecting it for a few years now.

rginn · Jul 14, 2010

I am so sorry that fawn died, Danl. Don't waste your time calling the humane society or the county. Call your state wildlife department. Their number is 1-877-620-8DNR, ext. 8540. Apparently they have an 'urban deer manager' or something like that. And MG, they do issue permits in Oklahoma to thin out the excess deer. Paricularly in western Oklahoma where you can see as many as 75 to a 100 grazing a soybean field at night.

bottlebum · Jul 15, 2010

I'm sorry to hear that you lost one of the babes. They must be younger than they appear in the pictures. It's good that you have some great pics them though.

I hope that you were able to get some help for the other.

Bill