TIPS
for
COEXISTING
WITH DEER
Here are a few tips that will help you coexist with
deer in your area and most importantly what to
look for when you think a fawn or deer is in need of
rescue or medical care.
Signs a Fawn is in Trouble - Pacing, calling
out or appears distressed: A fawn who is still being
cared for by his mother will usually be calm and
lying down. If the fawn is spooked, he may get up
and move but will lie back down a short distance
away.
Lying on his/her side: Deer are ruminants and
when healthy will lie in the sternal position. You
will not find a healthy deer or fawn lying on his/her
side.
Covered in ants: If the fawn is lying on the
ground and covered in ants, he is in trouble. A
healthy fawn will move if ants begin to attack.
Don't feed Deer - Deer corn is one of the worst
foods for deer. Their bodies are not made to digest
corn. Eating it causes deer to develop diarrhea,
seek corn instead of nutritious natural food, and
contract diseases as a result of malnutrition. If you
have a sick local deer, feed her protein pellets
rather than corn, bread, or other sugary food. When
the deer recovers, stop supplementing her food.
Feeding deer also habituates them, increasing
their chances of being hurt or killed in a
human/wildlife conflict.
Landscaping with Deer - Deer will sample
your flowers and shrubs until finding the tastiest
shoots in your garden. While there is no foolproof
solution to this situation, you can minimize the
damage to your garden by choosing deer-resistant
selections from an array of beautiful native plants.
Injured Adult Deer - Unfortunately, injured
adult deer are common in urban or developed
areas. Often, the best assistance we can give
injured deer is to leave them alone. Deer are
extremely high-stress animals, and almost always
if a deer is captured and transported to Wildlife
Rescue, the animal dies from the stress of capture
if he or she doesn't succumb to the original injury.
Deer can also survive and move about quite well on
three legs. If you find a deer who has been hit by a
vehicle and the deer cannot stand, the deer will
probably have to be euthanized.
To Reduced the Likelihood of Collisions
Be vigilant: When you drive, make a habit of
watching from side to side, especially in areas of
low visibility or where shrubs or grasses are close
to the road.
Watch for group behavior: Deer tend to travel
in groups. If one deer crosses the road, watch for
more to follow. Female deer tend to stay together
as "doe groups" in winter and have young fawns
following them in the Spring.
Be aware of seasons: In the Fall, bucks are on
the move due to rutting and hunting seasons. In
Spring (May-June), yearlings are seeking new
territories. Be extra careful driving at these times
of year.
Time of day matters: Deer are most active at
dusk and dawn. Be watchful, especially during
early morning and evening, when wildlife may be
moving across roads.
Use high beams: At night, use your high beams
to see farther ahead. Slow down and watch for the
eye-shine of deer near the road edges.
Drive straight and honk your horn: If at all
possible, do not swerve to avoid wildlife but brake
firmly and blow your horn. Animals are easily
confused. If you swerve, deer may run into the
vehicle rather than away from it.
And swerving could mean driving into another
vehicle or off the road into poles or fences.
FAWN FACTS
DID YOU KNOW?
• A doe will leave her fawns for
up to 14 hours at a time. She will
hide the fawn in places she deems
safe which may be under a car, or
a more natural area such as tall
grass, etc.
• Fawns do not emit the same
odor as adult deer so they are
safe from predators when the
mother is not around.
• After an early-morning feeding
the mother deer will leave for the
day to find her own food, returning
at dusk to feed and spend the
night with her fawn.
• If you see a fawn on the side of
the road or in another dangerous
place, you can move the fawn to a
safe location nearby.
Remember: If you find a fawn in your yard, the odds are he or she is probably healthy. You should not pick up a fawn for many reasons, one is because it is
illegal.
For more helpful information please visit WildlifeHotline.org or Wildlife-Rescue.org
Cenizo
Summer 2020
29