Nicest day since the spring so I went out back after supper. Heard a noise, looked left and saw a pair of spotted fawns. I probably heard one stand up which made me look. The other was still bedded. I'd consider this abnormal to be bedded so late and so much in the open. They were in a 20 yd wide strip of trees between my backyard and neighbors property behind mine. No undergrowth to speak of, pretty much just mature pine trees. Neighbors property is pretty much open with a few scattered mature hardwoods. I wasn't surprised at first when I saw the first one because I've been seeing what looks like a young doe with a single fawn crossing my back yard around this time for the last week or so. I was surprised to see the second fawn. Looked around for mama but didn't see her. Of course that doesn't mean she wasn't there, I just didn't see her. I saw, what I'm pretty certain is a different doe, around the corner hit on the road about 4 or 5 days ago.

So, I'm thinking these may be the dead doe's fawns. I never saw or heard an adult. I'm not used to deer bedding in this location.

So here are the questions: How long do fawns nurse? Is it possible that they could survive on their own without a nurse? I know that does will sometimes adopt orphans but does this always happen?

There are other does in the area. Ive seen does with 5 fawns Im pretty sure she adopted some of those. If they survive yotes another doe should take them in. especially a doe with a buck fawn, since as soon as hes finished nursing hes gone.

bedded together would be odd to me

they wouldn't last 4-5 days without mom, they'd be walking around looking for her and making noise=yote bait.

fawns usually will nurse for about three months, mom will cut em off.

in my experience some does will adopt orphans and some won't.

the problem for them is relative to age. If too young they cannot survive on native browse because their gut isn't ready for straight browse.

I don't think they're abandoned if they were together, and no way they'd survive almost a week with a dead mother in the highway. I agree with Troy. Momma is somewhere.

Hope so. Can't say how old the fawns were. They were covered in unfaded spots but they also were long legged, sturdy, very fast and agile once they decided to take off. They were pretty slow to respond. Granted, they are inexperienced but I was not trying to be stealthy and when I stopped and turned to see what I heard they were no more than 20 yards from me in plain sight. I froze and we just stared each other down for many seconds. I finally looked to my right to see if mama was there and it wasn't until I looked back that they took off. Never saw mama, never heard her stamp or blow. The fawn that was standing when I looked took a few slow, short steps towards the other one, who remained bedded until the moment they both bolted, and made a few 1/2 stamping gestures (you know the way deer will do when they think something isn't right but don't know what) but did not really seem to understand immediately that I was dangerous. I have to believe that if mama was present, she would have sent out the alarm the moment she was aware of me. I don't know, it was just an odd encounter.

One more question. Will doe fawns breed later this year or not until next year?

[quote=BhamFred]bedded together would be odd to me

It would make sense that mama would split them up to bed down to minimize the risk of loss. Are you saying that this is a doe's normal practice and therefore they shouldn't have been together?

I never saw the first one bedded. I'm assuming I heard it stand when I entered the area. I suppose it's possible that the first fawn had been bedded elsewhere and was merely approaching the other one after rising. In that case I have no idea what I heard.

I'll keep an eye out for them. Hopefully they make it, but not if they don't learn to take off faster next time.

Most doe fawns in AL will not breed until next fall/winter. A small percentage of fawns in areas with early breeding dates will breed this winter. Very small percentage.

Several studies have shown that coyotes kill around 60% to 70% of all fawns born so does lose their fawns all the time. She should breed back, and you aren't sure she lost these fawns.

Matt, I see signs of a March rut and even a bit of an April rut in Perry Co. I've often thought it might mainly be about 8-9 month old fawns coming into heat for the first time. Any truth to this idea?

Its not just yotes, its stray dogs and pets killing fawns too. I had a buddy whose lab killed them too.

very unlikely in Alabama

This is a much bigger problem than most people realize.

Yep I saw one a couple weeks ago with a fresh killed fawn in it's mouth. Made me mad as hell.

Fawn,s can surprise you, I had a dove shoot last year, there was one group of hedge bushes,maybe 10 yards wide .at the end of the dove shoot, everyone was packing up their gear .here steps out two fawns out of hedges ,they just walked up to 2 or guy,s following them like a puppy.until we had to run them off . Never saw their mother, but they survived I know because a month later I was planting my deer field and saw the bedded in nearly the same spot

Saw a single fawn in back yard this a.m. Didn't see mama or sibling. Fawn saw me when I walked out of house. Still didn't bolt, just kinda watched me. Kept looking to it's left then back at me. Thought maybe it was looking at another deer for possible guidance as to what it should do. Never saw another deer and it finally trotted off into the tree line. Went back inside the house and realized that my 3d doe target was standing roughly 30 yds away in the exact direction it was looking. I don't know but I don't think it looks good.

I did see another doe within about 200 yds day before yesterday but didn't see any fawns. She saw me and took off pretty quickly.

Just hate to see the babies go down before they even get a chance, but I guess that's the way of things in the world of the tooth and the claw.

Not likely. We've collected repro data for decades and the percentage of doe fawns that get bred is extremely small. Even in areas like Bankhead most of them are not breeding until the following winter.

Thanks! Another of my theories bites the dust.

it's that evil avatar, PCP......

An area near our home where I ride my bike and jog is being developed. They're scalping woods, brushy weedy ditch-buffer areas, and a huge field. I've seen deer there for years.

Probably more than a few fawns were killed. Chit happens, though. They can't all be saved, and more will take their place.