New Hampshire Fish and Game Urges Residents To Leave Fawns Alone This Spring

CONCORD, NH — New Hampshire Fish and Game is reminding residents that deer fawns seen alone in spring are usually not abandoned and should be left where they are.

In the coming weeks, deer will begin giving birth around the Granite State, with most fawns born in May and June, according to the department.

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Each spring, residents spot young deer on their own and often worry that their mothers have died or left for good. In most cases, that is not what happened. The department said a doe is usually nearby and waiting to return to feed her newborn.

Adult deer can be easily detected by predators because of their scent and size, according to the department. For that reason, does spend extended periods away from their fawns to disassociate their scent from the fawn and help keep them safe. During the first month of life, the doe will visit only a few times a day to nurse quickly before leaving again, although she is usually not far away.

The warning comes as some residents, trying to help, may take in a fawn they believe has been abandoned. The department said that in most cases, removing the animal also removes it from the care it needs. “The best chance a young wild animal has to survive is in its natural environment under the care of its mother. If you care, leave them there.”

The department said people who believe a fawn or other young wildlife has been abandoned, injured, or orphaned should not move the animal. Instead, residents should contact the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department by emailing wildlife@wildlife.nh.gov or calling 603-271-2461 so staff can assess the situation and determine the best course of action. In most instances, the department said, it is advisable to leave the animal alone and allow time for the mother to return.

The department also said residents should not approach, pet, or feed wildlife and should never remove any animal from its habitat. Only qualified people with special rehabilitator permits issued through New Hampshire Fish and Game may take in and care for injured or orphaned wildlife.

Improper care can lead to sickness or death and often prevents animals from being returned to the wild, according to the department. The guidance notes that deer fawns fed the wrong type of milk or formula can develop severe diarrhea, also known as scours.

A list of licensed wildlife rehabilitators is available at wildlife.nh.gov/wildlife-and-habitat/rehabilitators, and more information about white-tailed deer is available on the department’s website.