found fawn what to do

Tango · #1 08/21/06, 07:46 AM

hot and exhausted but no injuries. in my dog crate. dunno what happened to momma??? what to give her?

jill.costello · #2 08/21/06, 07:50 AM

Fawns don't stay with their mothers all the time like horses, etc. Momma deer puts the fawn in a safe spot and then goes away to feed herself.... Are you sure she's abandoned?

If so, I would treat her like a bottle-baby goat. If you can get raw goats milk, that would be my first choice.....

Anyone else know what to do??

Bearfootfarm · #3 08/21/06, 08:03 AM

The best thing to do is release it where you found it. It probably wasnt really abandoned. Barring that, you should find a wildlife rehabilitator. In most states its illegal to possess wildlife without a permit.

Tango · #4 08/21/06, 08:25 AM

she was screaming her head off and running like a banshee. I didn't come across her she ran like a bat out of hell directly toward me and then passed me. My dogs found her 1/2 mile up the hillside and I carried her home. Yesterday my dogs found a dead fawn. Doe with twins has not been seen since Saturday. Its possible some idiot shot the mother and didn't know about the fawns. Happens here that people hunt whenever they feel like it... I didn't take her from her spot. Could care less about state requirements and I mean that from the bottom of my heart... So raise her like a kid?

MarleneS · #5 08/21/06, 08:26 AM

Call your State Game and Wildlife office and they will give you information on what you can personally do, or most likely put you in touch with the nearest licensed wildlife rehabitator.

The advise to leave a fawn where you find them, and perhaps go back the next day and see if it is still there before you "recuse" it is what most wildlife people recommend. As difficult as that would be when your mommy instinct tell you you can't possibly leave a baby out on its own.

Good luck,
Marlene

coalroadcabin · #6 08/21/06, 08:58 AM

Tango,
You may want to contact here:

Deer Farmer

I assume that someone who farm raises deer would know how to take care of a fawn

Edited to add:
They have a forum similar to HT where you can post questions. Here's one thread concerning finding an orphaned fawn:

Deer Farmer Forum

mightybooboo · #7 08/21/06, 08:59 AM

My sister bottle fed one.Bought some really expensive (deer?) milk for it.Then it just ate everything it wanted after a few bags of commercial feed.Stayed tame about 8 months then moved back into the wild when some deer came thru.
She kept it in a dog run,and it followed them around the property like a dog when they went on walks.

Should be able to google the food.It really liked citrus and avocado leaves.

BooBoo

littlebitfarm · #8 08/21/06, 09:34 AM

I rehab fawns. There is one running witht the horses and sheep right now!

Around here fawns are born late May or early June. If that is the case down there he is old enough to make it on his own. My little guy weaned himself off the bottle in the last few weeks. He still has all his spots and might be 2 foot at the withers.

Older fawns are pretty tough to get them to take a bottle because they are so stressed by the handling. If you want to try it goats milk is great. I also have a recipe that works well if you want it.

Kathie

Rouen · #9 08/21/06, 09:35 AM

if you have lactating goats their milk is supposedly very much like deer milk, alot of wildlife rehabbers put fawns on goats.
if you'd not stated that the fawn was screaming and running around I'd have said like everyone else to leave it, but it's just not fawn nature to run around announcing it's presence unless there trully were something wrong.

Tango · #10 08/21/06, 09:53 AM

Alas, I am so grateful. Thank you Boo, littlebitfarm, and Rouen. The fawn is close to two feet at withers. If they are the twins with the doe I've not seen since Saturday, they been around for a little while. Can she make it on her own then? Yes, she was screaming, like a little banshee the poor thing

I dunno what triggered that. I was at the computer when Phoenix heard or saw something and started barking. It was few minutes later before I heard the screaming and took one of my dogs out with me. The fawn came from a couple of hundred feet where the creek runs and she was just running right to me. It was strange I thought she was hand raised until she took off right past me and kept on going. Let all my dogs out to track her and they cornered her 1/2 mile up the hill behind my house. Nothing rung true about natural deer behavior. But like I said I've not seen the doe since Sat. and another fawn was found dead by my dogs yesterday. could have been the loose pitbulls again or coyotes took the other fawn. Or the same so-called hunter. This one is prob. scared, stressed, and hungry.

crc, did you read that forum before advising me to go there? Last conversation I had with a state wildlife officer he told me how he and his fellow officers made extra cash by taking animals directly to the taxidermist or hunt clubs... depending on said animal.

Quote:

Originally Posted by coalroadcabin

Tango,
You may want to contact here:

Deer Farmer

I assume that someone who farm raises deer would know how to take care of a fawn

Edited to add:
They have a forum similar to HT where you can post questions. Here's one thread concerning finding an orphaned fawn:

Deer Farmer Forum

RandB · #11 08/21/06, 09:53 AM

I don't have any experience in this, but poor little thing!!
If it was running and crying like that, I would definitely not take it back to where you found it. A wildlife rehab person would probably be a good idea if you can find one, otherwise as others have said, perhaps raise it like a kid. Our hay guy raises domesticated deer, he has to have a special permit for it, though. Good luck!

littlebitfarm · #12 08/21/06, 09:59 AM

He should be old enough to make it one his own. Yes, mom would still be feeding him if life was perfect. But he is already eating leaves and grass and his body is old enough to digest it. Try and find a "safe" place and let him go. I turn my guys loose in my well fenced pasture. When they are old enough they jump out. Some come and go for awhile, others just go.

Kathie

coalroadcabin · #13 08/21/06, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tango

Alas, I am so grateful. Thank you Boo, littlebitfarm, and Rouen. The fawn is close to two feet at withers. If they are the twins with the doe I've not seen since Saturday, they been around for a little while. Can she make it on her own then? Yes, she was screaming, like a little banshee the poor thing

I dunno what triggered that. I was at the computer when Phoenix heard or saw something and started barking. It was few minutes later before I heard the screaming and took one of my dogs out with me. The fawn came from a couple of hundred feet where the creek runs and she was just running right to me. It was strange I thought she was hand raised until she took off right past me and kept on going. Let all my dogs out to track her and they cornered her 1/2 mile up the hill behind my house. Nothing rung true about natural deer behavior. But like I said I've not seen the doe since Sat. and another fawn was found dead by my dogs yesterday. could have been the loose pitbulls again or coyotes took the other fawn. Or the same so-called hunter. This one is prob. scared, stressed, and hungry.

crc, did you read that forum before advising me to go there? Last conversation I had with a state wildlife officer he told me how he and his fellow officers made extra cash by taking animals directly to the taxidermist or hunt clubs... depending on said animal.

Tango,
Yes, I read it. Someone on the thread said that if you called the authorities a wild fawn would be put down immediately and one with a tag would be put down after the owner was fined..............I wasn't advocating that you call authorities, they ususally just muck stuff up, but I thought the advice about milk replacer and getting the little guy to pee etc would help you out.

MaryNY · #14 08/21/06, 10:09 AM

Tango - you might want to check this website out --

http://www.southeasternoutdoors.com/...ilitators.html

At least they might be able to tell you what to feed it etc. etc.

Good luck!

MaryNY

Tango · #15 08/21/06, 10:21 AM

Thanks for the clarification crc. And thanks for the additional advice and help RandB and MaryNY. As Littlebitfarm says, this little fawn is old enough that she is eating. I'll put her out in the corral to make sure she does eat and drink and get some rest. If she is fine then I'll make a call to a rehab place and see what they recommend. This all happened so fast I forgot we have one nearby... I was just operating on "Go!" but am more relaxed now.... fawn is more relaxed also.

Mountaineer · #16 08/21/06, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tango

Last conversation I had with a state wildlife officer he told me how he and his fellow officers made extra cash by taking animals directly to the taxidermist or hunt clubs... depending on said animal.

YOU REPORTED THEM RIGHT??? If you didn't, report it to their top, but also report it anywhere else available. Please say you reported it.

suitcase_sally · #17 08/21/06, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bearfootfarm

The best thing to do is release it where you found it. It probably wasnt really abandoned. Barring that, you should find a wildlife rehabilitator. In most states its illegal to possess wildlife without a permit.

ditto. A lot of fawns get caught up in the hay cutting cause Mama nestled them down in the hay and went for a walk.....

Tango · #18 08/21/06, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Farmer Joe

YOU REPORTED THEM RIGHT??? If you didn't, report it to their top, but also report it anywhere else available. Please say you reported it.

That was the regional supervisor who was on talking terms with me, me being a reptile specialist and unofficial consultant. Who to report to? One quickly learns that good intentions have a way of biting them swiftly once back is turned. No. No report. No trust. When I was an animal control officer we euthanized wildlife rather than relocating. People thought we would relocate and we were encouraged not to share the looming fate of the animal. I don't doubt some of my fellow officers made some money from trapped (humanely trapped) wildlife. There are no relocations in many areas of the southeast anymore.

**Terri** · #19 08/21/06, 12:56 PM

Are there any really big parks in your area? Out by us, there is a 1,500 acre half-wooded park with a lake in the middle that had a fawn released in it.

The beauty of it is, dogs are to be on leash, and there is no hunting. The fawn came out to beg for treats a few times, so it appeared to survive.

It was a safe "half-way" spot for a creature to learn how to be wild.