Strange Fawn Sighting

bgant

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Jul 15, 2019
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35
Every year I start seeing fawns in my yard around early to mid-May. I was starting to wonder what was going on, as I haven't seen any this year, and there are tons of doe all around me. I went down to check my garden this morning, which is surrounded entirely by 4-foot tall cattle panels, and got half way through my garden before seeing this little one. Its spots haven't started fading and it looked very thin and frail, making me think it's pretty young. Any idea how it got over the fence? Mature deer could jump 4 feet without a problem, but surely not a fawn this small. Could it have squeezed through a 6x6 inch opening in the cattle panel?

Can't wait to hear some input on this one. Gonna have to keep a close eye on the garden today in hopes of seeing how it gets out.
 

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punkcat

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The Rock
Been there an hour. Right next to the house.
 

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bgant

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Jul 15, 2019
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35
Yes it could squeeze through a 6x6 square but another option is she may have had it in there.
Didn't even consider she could have had it in there. That actually makes a lot of sense. Perhaps I'll open the gate for the day and give them a chance to reunite.
 

cbhunter

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Dec 9, 2013
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19,472
Location
Carroll County
Every year I start seeing fawns in my yard around early to mid-May. I was starting to wonder what was going on, as I haven't seen any this year, and there are tons of doe all around me. I went down to check my garden this morning, which is surrounded entirely by 4-foot tall cattle panels, and got half way through my garden before seeing this little one. Its spots haven't started fading and it looked very thin and frail, making me think it's pretty young. Any idea how it got over the fence? Mature deer could jump 4 feet without a problem, but surely not a fawn this small. Could it have squeezed through a 6x6 inch opening in the cattle panel?

Can't wait to hear some input on this one. Gonna have to keep a close eye on the garden today in hopes of seeing how it gets out.
agree, it probably squeezed through. I would probably help it out. Mom isn't far away and that baby needs milk
 

BSK

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Just remember that the fawn hides itself. The mother doe doesn't decide the hiding places. This prevents the mother's scent trail leading directly to the fawn's hiding spot. The mother doe leaves her fawn(s) at a given location, and the fawn(s) go find their own nearby hiding spot. The mother doe then returns after feeding to where she left the fawn(s) and calls them out of hiding. So when you see fawns hiding in weird places, don't blame the doe!

Some of my daughter's friends sent her video of a fawn they found hiding under an old log building. Typical of the time, the log structure was built up on rock pilings, leaving about a 2 and a half foot gap between floor and ground, and the fawn was all curled up in this space. Fawns will pick some weird places to hide, especially in shrubbery right up against houses.
 

Pilchard

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Dreaming of Tarpon
Just remember that the fawn hides itself. The mother doe doesn't decide the hiding places. This prevents the mother's scent trail leading directly to the fawn's hiding spot. The mother doe leaves her fawn(s) at a given location, and the fawn(s) go find their own nearby hiding spot. The mother doe then returns after feeding to where she left the fawn(s) and calls them out of hiding. So when you see fawns hiding in weird places, don't blame the doe!

Some of my daughter's friends sent her video of a fawn they found hiding under an old log building. Typical of the time, the log structure was built up on rock pilings, leaving about a 2 and a half foot gap between floor and ground, and the fawn was all curled up in this space. Fawns will pick some weird places to hide, especially in shrubbery right up against houses.
Had one in our rose bush right up against the curb of the street last week. It eventually relocated under my neighbors trampoline.
 

megalomaniac

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Oct 28, 2005
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Mississippi
Just remember that the fawn hides itself. The mother doe doesn't decide the hiding places. This prevents the mother's scent trail leading directly to the fawn's hiding spot. The mother doe leaves her fawn(s) at a given location, and the fawn(s) go find their own nearby hiding spot. The mother doe then returns after feeding to where she left the fawn(s) and calls them out of hiding. So when you see fawns hiding in weird places, don't blame the doe!

Some of my daughter's friends sent her video of a fawn they found hiding under an old log building. Typical of the time, the log structure was built up on rock pilings, leaving about a 2 and a half foot gap between floor and ground, and the fawn was all curled up in this space. Fawns will pick some weird places to hide, especially in shrubbery right up against houses.
Wow, didn't know that! I assumed the mother left the fawn in the most suitable cover, in essence she chose where the fawn should hide.

That's leaving a LOT of survival/ predator avoidance up to the new fawn. Thank God for imprinting and instinct.
 

BSK

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Even more interesting, twin (or even triplet) fawns instinctively know not to hide together. That reduces the chances a predator finds and kills both of them. The siblings will hide near each other (within 30 to 40 yards), but not right side by side.
 

Tom Collins

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Tennessee
Even more interesting, twin (or even triplet) fawns instinctively know not to hide together. That reduces the chances a predator finds and kills both of them. The siblings will hide near each other (within 30 to 40 yards), but not right side by side.
I've heard that does stimulate their fawns to poop and then will often eat the poop to cover their scent. Amazing creatures.
 

JCDEERMAN

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NASHVILLE, TN
Even more interesting, twin (or even triplet) fawns instinctively know not to hide together. That reduces the chances a predator finds and kills both of them. The siblings will hide near each other (within 30 to 40 yards), but not right side by side.
Fascinating!
 
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