Put the fawn back

If you’re out enjoying the beautiful spring weather and stumble upon a tiny baby deer your first instinct might be panic. Where is mom? Is it abandoned? Should I rescue it and name it Bambi and keep it as a pet? (Hint: no.)

Take a deep breath and leave it be. Mother deer deliberately “park” fawns in quiet spots and walk away to keep their own scent from attracting predators. The doe returns a few times a day to nurse and move the fawn to a new spot.

Rehabilitation of white-tailed deer, of any age, is prohibited in Tennessee. This leads to many heartbreaking situations, so prevention is key. Here are some tips:

• Check the grass before mowing. Fawns will instinctively freeze rather than run away.

• Leash and supervise dogs, especially in fawning season. Even the friendliest family dog can accidentally injure a fawn or scare a doe away permanently.

• Stow nets when not in use. Soccer nets and loose garden netting injure a lot of wildlife.

• Cap and cover deep window wells, which are notorious traps for newborn fawns and other small wildlife.

• Leave hiding spots. Consider leaving a corner of your property unmowed to give deer safe places to tuck fawns.

• Secure lawn chemicals and pesticides because fawns are curious and will occasionally nibble on plants or lick surfaces they shouldn't. (Or maybe, explore organic options?)

• Drive extra cautiously in spring because fawns don't understand cars. If you see one deer, assume there are more.

• Ditch deer feeders, which can spread diseases, alter natural foraging instincts, and attract predators.

Thanks for being a friend to wildlife!