Deer, deer, we have a new lawn mower

[kuntrycook]

As I passed the kitchen window around noon today movement caught my eye. A beautiful little fawn (yes, fawn) was standing in my kitchen garden. While I stood frozen, another one walked into my line of vision. My poor brain was yelling, "Its the wrong time of year." They should be much bigger and certainly should not have such pronounced spots. They turned down the tomatoes, the okra, basil, parsley, dill and stepped out onto the grass and began eating. They grazed around the garden for almost two hours, sometimes laying down in the shade of the house. Then I lost sight of 'em when they wandered off into an adjacent wooded area.

When my husband came in around 4:30 he was grinning ear to ear. As he pulled into the drive, they were laying in the oak tree's shade in the front yard. They spooked, took off, came back in 15-20 mins.

They stayed around grazing and napping until after six and were gone. At no time did we see a doe, so we're guessing they're orphaned. I'm wondering if a call to the forestry dept. would prompt action to get 'em into a safe setting (zoo) maybe. I mentally marked a large leaf on an okra plant that one of them walked under. It just brushed her rump. When I measured, the lower tip of the leaf it was 18" off the ground.

Should I try to call for a rescue or head for the feed store?

What a sight!

[honeyman46408]

No need to head for the feed store they will get all they want from your garden :(

[power napper]

kuntrycook--most likely all is normal with the fawns, the doe is not too far away. A couple days ago I walked to check on bees and two fawns walked up to me, frolicked for a while then the mommy stepped out and the entertainment ended.
The deer have destroyed my strawberry patch, rabbits have destroyed my string bean patch, but ya gotta love em!

[Sharkey]

Well...........

The fawns are fine. They actually don't need a doe, but I would just about bet the farm that she is somewhere in the neighborhood.

Yes, they will be better off with mom, but they don't have to have her to survive. Does are known to be bred when they are as young as 6 months, so don't think of them like you do our little ones, it just ain't the same. ;)

[Troutsqueezer]

I'm surrounded by deer. My wife is a volunteer with various Sierra wildlife preservation programs. Many people call these offices with the same concerns you've expressed.

Those responding to your post are correct. The doe is almost always nearby. Twin fawns are the norm and often stray some distance from their Mom for periods of time.

[Hillside]

"A beautiful little fawn"

... or the spawn of a plague of ravenous hooved rats. They eat everything in sight. They've destroyed my melon patch, consumed my squash, and wiped out my tomatoes. Yeah they're cute; but don't let that fool you. They're evil.

[Troutsqueezer]

>... or the spawn of a plague of ravenous hooved rats. They eat everything in sight. They've destroyed my melon patch, consumed my squash, and wiped out my tomatoes. Yeah they're cute; but don't let that fool you. They're evil.

Used to have that problem too, until I got Max, 100lbs, lover of leftovers, hater of bees. Likes to mark his territory as we go for walks. Seems to be very effective.

[kuntrycook]

They were back again today and again they stepped up into our garden (we've a sligtly raised bed,) sniffed nd poked at various tomatoes, okra, herbs, etc., sampled the pole beans and went back to grass. Still no doe in sight.

But your comments have made me feel better. They're hardly more than 12" from chest to rump and so spindly legged I'm surprised they don't stumble when walking, but I promise to leave 'em alone, I won't name 'em or try to pet 'em. Just leave it along and let it work. Well, maybe a chunked up apple or carrot or ...............

[Carolina-Family-Farm]

http://www.deerscram.com/

[JohnK and Sheri]

A couple years ago we had a newborn fawn that was temporarily abandoned by his mom (she got spooked by a passing truck and headed for the woods, leaving junior behind). The little 'dear' settled in our front flower garden, about 5 ft from our front door. He would stand for a while, then lay back down, getting his legs stronger. We could stand right next to him and it didn't bother him at all. Mom came back up looking for him, called him from the back yard but she wouldn't go to the front yard during the day, and he could not hear her from where he was. As it was starting to rain and get cold we carried him to the back yard so mom could find him, which she did a short while later. He was totally unafraid of us. Pics are the first album at
http://community.webshots.com/user/pvhoneybee

Yeah, they eat the shrubs and the bucks do a number on some of our young trees but they are worth it. As I write this I am looking at a pair of little spotted twins out my back window, first brought up to our yard a couple days ago. They love to run around in the short grass of our lawn.
Sheri

[randydrivesabus]

if anyone wants more deer please come here and pick them up.

[Barry Digman]

"if anyone wants more deer please come here and pick them up."

Are they whole, in halves, or quartered? Double-wrapped for the freezer?

[spacemoose]

randydrivesabus, do they come with a hot biscuit ??

[JohnK and Sheri]

As well as the twin fawns there is a very nice 10 point buck coming into the yard, hubby is thinking of maybe bowhunting this year.......
Sheri