With summer nearly here, does are beginning to drop fawns throughout Idaho. At many of Fish and Game’s regional offices around the state, that means calls from people who are concerned about fawns that appear to be abandoned.
For many of the well-intentioned callers, their first instinct is to “rescue” these seemingly helpless creatures. However, Fish and Game officials have a simple suggestion to people who discover fawns that appear to be abandoned: The best thing you can do for them is to leave them be, because they were almost certainly not abandoned to begin with, and people who rescue fawns by removing them from the wild are actually taking away their best chance at survival.
"If people remove young animals from the wild, there are only a few options,” said Ryan Walrath, regional wildlife manager. “We can attempt to return them back into the wild, which seldom works because the animal is too young to survive on its own. There are seldom options at an approved zoo or research facility. Often the only humane option left for Fish and Game is to euthanize them. Either way the animal is generally removed from the wild forever."
The Southwest Regional Office and local conservation officers have received a high volume of calls about fawns being “abandoned” in the Boise area in recent weeks from people who are eager to help, and Fish and Game staff are working to inform and educate area residents as a result.
“I haven’t seen a spring like this in more than 10 years for the volume of calls coming in,” said district conservation officer Ben Cadwallader. “Thankfully, a lot of these calls are coming before someone picks up a fawn, which provides us with an opportunity to educate the callers about deer behavior and remind them that possession of most species of wildlife taken from the wild, including deer, is illegal in Idaho.”
Mammals such as deer, elk, and pronghorn routinely leave their young in a secure location, moving off to feed and returning later - sometimes several hours later - to quickly feed their young and leave again. The young animals know instinctively to remain still in the places their mother left them.
“If you encounter a newborn fawn this time of year, there’s a pretty good chance that it will be alone, and if you don’t know better, you might think it has been abandoned,” said Ryan Walrath, regional wildlife manager. “What is actually happening is the doe and fawn are avoiding predators by being separated. Deer fawns are nearly scentless at birth; however the doe has scent. Does will keep their distance from their young to avoid leading predators to them.”
When humans are around, the doe may be in the area, but hiding nearby, keeping a distance away from their fawn to protect their young and themselves from perceived danger. Without realizing it, someone who is watching over a newborn fawn might be the very thing keeping the doe away.
“If you’re close enough to see the fawn, you’re close enough to keep the doe away,” Walrath said.
With fawns being born in every part of Idaho during June, it’s up to everyone to help ensure their safety and survival by not interfering with the mother and her fawn. Let them be, and let them remain a valuable part of Idaho’s wildlife.