State: If you see a fawn, steer clear — they’re OK

Fawns are being born now and should be left alone; their mothers are almost always nearby, officials say. (VF&W Photo by John Hall)

People throughout the Green Mountains are enjoying nature this time of year, and it's also the season when deer fawns are arriving. 

With that in mind, wildlife officials are asking the public to leave fawns alone if they see them in the wild. Most deer fawns are born in late May and the first and second weeks of June, according to Vermont deer biologist Nick Fortin. He said people often assume a fawn that is alone is lost or needs rescuing, but the mother is almost always nearby. 

“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,” Fortin said in a statement. He added that, for its own safety, taking a wild animal into captivity is illegal in Vermont. 

Fawns do not attempt to evade predators during their first few weeks, instead relying on camouflage and stillness to remain undetected, officials explained. 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, officials added.

Fortin encourages people to resist the urge to assist wildlife in ways that may be harmful, and he offered these tips:

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

• Deer normally will not feed or care for their young when people are close by.

• Deer fawns will imprint on humans and lose their natural fear of people, which can be essential to their survival.

• Keep domestic pets under control at all times, as they may harm fawns and other baby animals.

Leaving a fawn alone in a secluded spot is primarily a way for deer to hide their young from predators while feeding, Fortin explained in an interview with WCAX. People may see a fawn alone in the wild multiple times without ever seeing the mother, and should still avoid disturbing it, he added.  

— Gareth Henderson