Maryland DNR officials say to leave fawns alone

Salisbury, Md. – Maryland Department of Natural Resources officials say that “rescuing” deer fawns is “unnecessary, dangerous and illegal.”

While spotted white-tailed deer fawns are a common sight around this time of year, they are often times seen alone.

“Because it’s alone, they think that it’s been abandoned or it’s orphaned. That’s usually not the case,” Maryland DNR Deer Project Leader Kevin Lamp said.

According to Lamp, fawns can often be found walking closely to their mothers or curled up in fields or forests alone in May and June. But he says the fawns are not orphaned and discourages people from “rescuing” them by taking them away from their habitats.

“The doe is spending time getting, you know, feeding, being able to provide that nutrition that the fawn needs,” Lamp said. “By keeping predators away from the fawn, doing the best she can at that.”

Lamp recommends calling permitted fawn rehabilitation centers if a fawn is spotted being alone for over 24-hours. A list of FAQ and a list of licensed rehabilitation centers or handlers can be found on the Maryland DNR website.