Baby deer - and questions....

So I heard a strange noise tonight and followed it back to a manufacturing building by us, alongside a highway. On one side of the building fence -- two crying, tiny baby deer. One the other side of the fence - the adult.

The fence runs parallel to a major highway for about a quarter mile. In between the two, there's a long marshy section about 20-30 feet wide and 1-2 miles long. The baby deer were on the highway side.

As I was watching the adult (from about 400 yards away), it ran off.

I called the police, who said they couldn't do anything.

To be reunited, the adult deer would have to travel about a quarter mile and then backtrack on the other side of the fence.

What are the chances?

I think we have coyotes in the general area, but not many (I hope - prayers and good vibes, please).

Who do I call if the baby is still out there in the morning?

The chances are good Scott that the mom will come back as soon as the human scent leaves. If the fawns are in deep cover grass or some sort of cover they will be safe from pedators. If you know where they are, and have a pair of binoculars, watch from a safe distance. The mom will be back unless something happens to her first.

I hope so...I only walked up to the area once, and kept a relatively safe distance of about 15 feet (most of it was parking lot). There were two babies...at first they were together, but one seemed to be hiding or wandered off.

I'm not really sure what I could do in any event. With the highway there, I didn't want to scare them into traffic.

You can also usually call Animal Control and get a reference to the Department of Natural Resources ( Fish and Game/ Fish and Wildlife ). These people can help, there are usually wildlife rehabbers that can take these animals if the mother doesn't reclaim them and rehabilitate them.

Spotz

Right it's a tough call. Mom won't go far and hopefully by morning the babies will be gone off with her. We had a fawn out by our horse fence for 2 days. She was in tall tall grasses near the creek and we just kept the dog in the house and prayed for mom to return. She did, early one morning and they took off into the woods. Here's hoping for a similar resolution for yours-

Scott, you predicament reminded me of a pic MA posted a while back of a wild fawn. This thread has the story and pic.

Yes, that was about the size of the two fawns. The one closest to the fence was tiny, tiny. I'll go back tomorrow and see if it's still there.

Ack, still there....it's just the one baby that I can see. There was a landscaper that apparently came this morning...who used a weedwhacker up to the fence line, and the baby deer is on the other side of the fence.

I'm trying to call some rehabilitators...only two in our county...

Can't you call the Conservation Officer?

There was a momma deer hit on the road by my parents house and the baby was in the ditch crying for her. We called the CO who came and got it. They took it to the game preserve.

Well, I spoke to a woman that rescued deer for Westchester county some time ago. We agreed to pick up the baby deer and meet her with it about 30 minutes to the north of where we live.

We grabbed a dog crate from a friendly pet shop and headed over to the spot I found them last night. There was only one baby that I could find, and she was in bad shape. In the least, she's dehydrated and very weak -- she couldn't hold her head up -- and I don't know if she'll survive.

So we need some GOOD VIBES and SPECIAL PRAYERS for this little one.



I went back to look for the other fawn, but it's very overgrown with thick grasses, marshy ground and impassable reeds. I didn't see her. That 2nd fawn seemed to have more energy last night and was somewhat wandering off even then, so maybe she made it back with the adults. If she's in better physical shape, she's more likely to be reunited on her own as well, because there were fresh deer prints in the mud and I think they use that area often.


Please send some positive energy!

Aaaawww what a cute baby , poor thing .
I do hope it will make it . I was told in Germany that you could touch a baby deer to move it out of danger , but you need to rub it down real good with straw ( hay) so the mom will not be able to smell human on the baby or it will not care for it any more . Will you be able to follow up on the baby ?

I will say a prayer for the cute little one

Ahhh Scott, I am sorry the family didn't get back together. Usually they do, because the mom's instinct is so strong. Thank you for saving one at least- what a sweet picture.

Scott, any news on the fawn's progress?

I'm very sorry to say that this can be moved to Crossing the Bridge.



The rescuer had gotten a vet rather quickly, they got her on an IV. They had her sitting up, but she was having congestion problems. Apparently, it was pneumonia. The weather has been back-and-forth here this week, and I guess sitting in one place all night didn't help.

The lesson is the next time, I'll call the wildlife rehabilitator in the middle of the night, regardless of whether or not I'll be waking them up. I guess if your instinct is that something is wrong and it might be an emergency, you have to act on it. Online "deer sites" suggest that you shouldn't touch fawns...you should leave them for 24 hours...but I guess in this particular case, it might have been better to get there quicker or risk waking up the wildlife rehabilitator.

It might not have made a difference in the end, but it's sad that this had to happen this way.

I am so sorry to hear this. What a beautiful little life that has passed Scott you are an angel to try and help that baby.

Oh Scott I am so sorry to read this. I gave you bad advice, I am sorry. Usually mom returns in 24 hours.

Hissy,

No...don't worry...you didn't give me bad advice. Everything I've read says that people should leave the fawns for at least 24 hours, and I felt the same way...that there was a chance that the mother would get back to her.

I really didn't have any way of knowing she was sick or would have problems without going right up to her...we didn't realize how weak she was until trying to pick her up.

I won't beat myself up over it, but I always have to remind myself to be a little more aggressive and a little less hesitant.

That's so sad. I wish it could've been a happy end, but I guess it wasn't meant to be. Poor baby.

Poor little fawn. You did all you could do though.

Oh no , I am so sorry Scott to you .

May the sweet little one RIP