Vermont Fish & Wildlife: Fawns found alone aren’t lost

May 8, 2024  |  By Waterbury Roundabout  

A newborn deer fawn. Photo courtesy of Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department

Deer fawns are being born this time of year and state wildlife officials ask people to avoid disturbing or picking them up. 

Most deer fawns are born in late May and early June, according to deer biologist Nick Fortin with the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department. 

When people see a small fawn alone, they often mistakenly assume it is helpless, lost or needing to be rescued, Fortin explains. It’s best for humans to keep their distance because the fawn’s mother is almost always nearby.  

“Deer nurse their young at different times during the day and often leave their young alone for long periods of time,” Fortin said. “These animals are not lost. Their mother knows where they are and will return.”

Fawns do not attempt to evade predators during their first few weeks, instead relying on camouflage and stillness to remain undetected. During these times, fawns learn critical survival skills from their mothers. Bringing a fawn into a human environment results in separation from its mother, and it usually results in a sad ending for the animal, Fortin said.  

People who come across a fawn should resist the urge to assist it, he noted. Staying away is also important because deer normally will not feed or care for their young when people are nearby, Fortin explained. Deer fawns will imprint on humans who intervene, losing their natural fear of people that could be essential to their survival. 

Two other reminders: keep domestic pets under control at all times as dogs often will kill fawns and other young animals; it’s illegal in Vermont to take a wild animal into captivity.

“It’s in the best interest of Vermonters and the wildlife that live here, for all of us to maintain a respectful distance and help keep wildlife wild,” added Fortin.