I looked out my back door and there was a fawn where the yard turns into woods.

This poor baby waited over 3 hours for mom to come back and get him. It got too dark for me to video, and I remarked to hubby "Well, I won't be sleeping tonight!" (Coyotes) Hubby grabbed a flashlight at 10pm and went out to see if he was still there. He walked around the house and up through the orchard. Imagine both his and mom's surprise when his flashlight revealed junior nursing on mom! He said she moved off down the ravine and the baby followed. (Yay)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTiJp7iSBR8&feature=channel_page

(Yes, I stink at holding the camcorder still, lol.)



Maryjane
W Ga
Zone 8a

MaryJane
Deer will leave their fawns in a 'safe place' and come back to get them at nightfall. There is a yard here in town where the fawns lay under an evergreen tree all day and the adults come back in the evening to get them

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

Nice video!

Penny,

I guess the adults are foraging all day? I assume they have no way of defending their young even if they were present when a predator is present? I never knew this.

Pam NJ 6B

That is a little sweetie. Good video too.

Dianne
Southeast Alabama
Heat Zone 8
Sunset Zone 31

Very cute, Maryjane...glad you captured the video & shared with us.

Pam, don't believe a doe is unable to defend her fawn. Their hooves are very sharp and capable of inflicting serious damage if the deer has reason to use them for defense or aggressive action. A doe could kill a coyote or dog and might even make a cougar think twice before coming between her and her fawn. In the latter case, the doe would probably lose the battle if the cougar was intent on its prey...but at this time of year, prey is usually easier to find and not worth risking damage from an angry doe.

I could be wrong, but I grew up with the belief that fawns are born with little body scent & the does stay away from them for long periods to avoid their own scent (or visual presence) from guiding a predator to the fawns. I'll bet mama is rarely far away, however. If she gets out of visual contact she is likely still close enough to hear a distress cry from the fawn and come running. But camouflage is probably the preferred 1rst line of defense.



Patrick
USDA Zone 8b
Heat Zone 3
Sunset Zone 5
SeaTac, WA...one cool place

Maryjane, thanks for posting the video. In the fall, I see adults everywhere but don't see too many this time of year and I don't think I have ever seen one that young out in natural setting. Penny and Patrick, thanks for the great info.

Linda
ne AL
zone 7b

I'm glad y'all enjoyed it. This isn't my first experience finding stashed fawns around here. It's a common practice on the mom's part. Yes, you're correct, the fawns have no scent. Momma goes to graze and tucks junior in a hidden place. I guess at the very end you could see once he laid down it was neigh to impossible to even see him?

I have hours of footage. The lil joker kept getting up, grooming itself, listening around, then lying back down. My major problem with holding the camera steady was I had the shakes. It was 97 degrees, and the heat was whacking me good. I was just amazed she considered the edge of our yard a safe zone...on the other side of the house is a 100' dog run with 3 very loud mouthed dogs in it.

Maybe that made her feel secure coyotes would give this area a wide berth...

Anyhoo, sorry it was so OT, but it made me smile.

Maryjane
W Ga
Zone 8a

MJ--- Thanks for sharing that vid of bambi and a very interesting and positive ending plus informative for those that dont know. Real life stuff.

Steve
Martinsville, In
Heat zone 6
Sunset zone 35