Schobs

I don't think it's legal to keep wild animals for pets in most states w/o proper permits, but back to the matter at hand... My aunt rehabilitates all sorts of animals, no deer yet, but one thing she's told everyone in our family is that if you see baby animals hidden somewhere or just laying there (except if the mother is dead on the side of the road) you're better off just leaving it there. This is especially true with rabbits. When the offspring are that young and can't keep up with the mother, they have to be left behind, not necessarily abandoned though. just because you dont see the mother, doesnt mean she has abandoned the offspring either, she may be coming back at night. now i dont know if the mother wouldn't take it back just because there was human scent on it, that might be an old wives tail to prevent people from pestering baby animals and birds' eggs.

Kid

I agree with Schobs on this. The Mother WILL NOT abandon a fawn just because it has been handled by a human. Deer are born without any scent and remain that way for awhile to avoid detection. Until the young ones can get around pretty well, their Mother avoids being around them except to nurse to avoid attracting predators. Unless the Mother has been killed, few circumstances would prompt her to "abandon" her offspring. There's not many instincts stronger than a Mother's defense and care of her young ones.

121553

A while back a large fawn that was almost yearling stage got in my dog pen one morning when I had the dogs inside so I did the mucho thing and closed the gate behind me and after having it cornered a couple times I finally tackled it and it bucked and hoofed the liveing crap out of me and I won't be doing that again. Funny thing about it I saw her from time to time and turn into a fine doe with two fawns the last time I saw her. I guess she knows she can kick my butt and doesn't have anything to worry about.

Bobby

shed33

dug a fawn out of the creek once.. packed a baby bull elk out of a skid trail while logging..

Rob/PA Bowyer

I've come across newborns many times while spring gobbler hunting. I've never "caught" one although I've walked right up and took it's picture while it laid motionless. I easily could have touched it but I would never interfere with the natural process.

I also couldn't tell you if the mother would reject it or not but what if she does? I would not want to be respondsible for the tragic death of a fawn just to satisfy an ego and say I touched one.

Deleted User

[Deleted by Admins]

NY/Al

If you care, leave them there...Their mother will come back unless shes dead.

deerhunter729

I've caught two. One while I was bush hogging a field about ran over it in my tractor and the other while I was trout fishing. I heard a something strange and looked up stream and saw a fawn floating down stream. I grabbed it and the mother was on the bank blowing at me. I went a little ways down and but it on the same side as the mother. I could see them in a distance back together.




[/align]

halfrack VIII

my neighbor had one walk right up to him once, (its mother had lived their all her life and would let my neighbor get within five feet of her).

i almost stepped on one while on my horse never saw it until i was a little to the left and stright above