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Deer
A doe giving birth for the first time will generally have a single fawn. Thereafter, if she has an ample supply of food, she will have twins. Fawns nurse 4-6 times a day, usually in the evening hours. Although fawns spend much of their time curled up in their beds, they change the location of these beds 4-6 times a day, usually to a space between 10-20 feet from their previous bed. To avoid predators, a doe never beds her twin fawns together, instead keeping them from 25-250 feet apart. She also deliberately stays out of the immediate area so that her body scent will not attract predators.
For the first few week of its life, a fawn is content to stay in bed while not nursing. Until one week of age, a fawn will not run when discovered. Between 1-2 weeks of age, the doe begins to have difficulty leaving her fawn after nursing. Often, the mother will push the fawn down with her nose or foot to prevent it from wandering after her. If a predator ventures into the area that the fawn is hidden, the doe may bolt to distract the predator's attention, and the fawn will drop to the ground and hide.
Well-meaning humans often mistake fawns left in their nests while their mothers graze for abandoned babies. Do not attempt to "rescue" a fawn unless you know its mother is dead or the fawn is injured. If either of these are the case, then contact Harmony Wildlife as soon as possible and follow the directions in "Rescuing Wildlife" explicitly to avoid harming the fawn. If you know someone that you believe has improperly "rescued" a fawn, contact a wildlife rehabilitator immediately. A fawn can successfully be reunited with its mother up to 48 hours later with careful planning, observation, and follow-up. Remember, it is never safe to raise a fawn yourself, and it is against Tennessee State Law to possess a whitetail deer without specific permits.
We hope this answers many of your questions about wildlife habits and recognizing an animal in need. Of course, if you have further questions or concerns, contact HWRC at (615)799-8712.
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