Late spring and early summer are peak times for California’s deer herds to give birth to fawns, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is issuing a reminder to well-intentioned residents and visitors to not interact with the baby deer – even if they find one that appears to be abandoned or hungry.
Adult female deer regularly stash their fawns in tall grass or brush for as long as a day while they are out foraging for food.
“Every year we receive calls from concerned individuals and families about fawns and other young wildlife that appear to be abandoned or in distress,” said Jeff Stoddard, Wildlife Program Manager from CDFW’s Northern Region. “Our direction most often is to stay clear of the animal so the mother feels safe to return and so your presence does not attract unwanted attention to the fawn by people or other animals. In almost every case, the mother returns after dark or when it appears quiet and the mother feels safe to do so.”
Each year, CDFW and wildlife rehabilitation facilities are called to assist with fawns that have been removed from the wild by local residents and those recreating outdoors. The fawns lack the survival skills their mothers would have taught them and cannot be released back into the wild. Long-term captivity in zoos or other wildlife sanctuaries is unlikely due to limited space availability. Consequently, the fawns are often euthanized.
Only a limited number of wildlife rehabilitation facilities are permitted to accept fawns. Due to disease concerns, it is not recommended to move fawns outside of their home county. If a fawn is found on a road or another dangerous location, it is often better to use a towel or blanket and move the animal a short distance to suitable vegetation and allow it to reunite with its mother. A doe will not abandon her fawn merely because it has been touched by a person.
It is both illegal and unethical to feed deer and keep deer in your personal possession. Both crimes are misdemeanors, each subject to penalties of up to $1,000 and/or six months in jail.
Learn more about the dangers and consequences of feeding deer in the following video:
CDFW Reminds Californians Why It’s Illegal to Feed Deer(external link).
To report an injured, sick or suspected orphaned fawn, contact your local
CDFW regional office directly.
