Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 8A
Monroe County Outdoors
1 Reporter
July 6, 2011
Awww...fawns: Look, don’t touch
BY TERRY W.
JOHNSON
A t this time of the
year, Monroe
Countians have a
great chance to see
white-
tailed deer fawns.
While most will be
seen accompanied by
their mother, some
are not. When we
happen upon a fawn
that appears all
alone, it is human
nature to assume
that it has been or
phaned and needs
our help. In truth,
in most cases, the
fawn isn’t abandoned. As
such, it will have a much
greater chance of survival if
we leave it alone and continue
on our way.
The bond between a doe
and newborn fawn is
extremely strong. It has been
said that during a fawn’s
first few weeks of life only
severe injury or death will
keep her from abandoning it.
When you come across a
newborn fawn and you don’t
see a doe nearby, rest
assured its mother knows
where it is. The reason for
this is that during a fawn’s
first few days of life, does
only visit their young four to
six times a day. At those
times they will nurse their
rapidly growing offspring.
On the surface, this may
seem odd. But if you think
about it, it makes sense.
This is because infrequent
visits to a newborn reduces
the chances it will be discov
ered by a predator. However,
if a predator ventures too
close of her young, a doe will
either try to defend the fawn
or attempt to lead the preda
tor away.
A fawn’s first few days of
life are spent curled up in a
circle. Even if a predator or
human almost steps on it, a
fawn will not move. This is
the time when most fawns
are picked up by well mean
ing folks. By the
time a fawn is six
days old, you have
to run a fawn
down to capture it.
By the time a
fawn is a week
old, you would
have to be a mem
ber of the Mary
Persons track
team to corral it.
Interestingly,
when a doe gives
birth to twins, she doesn’t
hide them together. No, to
protect them from coyotes
and other predators, she will
bed them anywhere from 25
to 250 feet apart. This way, if
a predator kills one fawn, the
other can survive.
Countless fawns do fall
prey to predators such as
dogs, coyotes, and bobcats
each year.
However, the size
of the Monroe
County deer herd
is a testament to
the fact that they
are difficult for
predators to cap
ture. This is
because seeming
ly defenseless
fawns are protect
ed by a remarkable combina
tion of behavior and camou
flage.
For example, the best way
for a newborn fawn to escape
detection is to remain
motionless. This is due to
the fact that predators rely
on motion to find prey. A
motionless fawn is literally
invisible to a hungry preda
tor. However, should a new
born fawn try to run away
from a predator, it would be
easily caught by a fleet-foot
ed carnivore.
Mammalian predators also
rely on their acute sense of
smell to locate prey.
Fortunately, newborn fawns
give off little scent. Does fur
ther reduce any odors pro
duced by their young by lick
ing them from head to toe
immediately after birth.
This “bathing” is repeated
each time a fawn nurses her
young. At such times she
will also eat any waste
passed by the youngster.
The most fascinating
defense is the fawn’s camou
flaged coat. Young fawns are
decorated with roughly 180
white spots. These spots,
scattered across a reddish
brown background, allow a
fawn to blend into the forest
floor dappled with spots of
sunhght filtering through the
trees’ canopy. Since only the
tips of the hairs forming each
spot are white, as the fawn
ages, the spots disappear as
the hairs
are worn
away.
Popular
folklore says
if you touch
a fawn its
mother will
abandon it,
but that’s
not true. If
you find a
fawn, it is best to simply
walk away. However, if you
or a family member can’t
resist temptation and bring a
fawn home, return it to the
place where you found it as
soon as possible as its moth
er will be looking for it.
Under no circumstances
should you try to raise a
fawn. First of all, it is illegal
to hold a deer without a per
mit. In addition, this is a job
White-tailed deer (fawn)
DROP ON RAI
The MtCHEUN'Primacy MXM4
tire stops up to 29 feet shorter
in wet conditions than
a leading competitor.
kfei <r. r r-wift r* .
hiyflT r [Wrl.pS* ~-
0& '■■■: V
t^pekried-TW
SrsJtnyrt *£» We In**- kyf'
Come to your locally owned and operated tire
center today for outstanding service and selection.
Receive $70.00 savings on
set of 4 Michel in tires
* LcmgMi-testirvg tire *1 its
cimi — ?n,Kfl riwre milei
Shan the competition'
* Offers wafHforal
ttanbrfkiilpoft frl perfdrrnanc p
for light trudtiand SUVs
♦d
Receive a $70 pre-paid debit
card after mail in rebate with the purchase
of 4 new Michelin passenger or light truck
tires. See redemption form at participating
dealers for complete details. Offer expires
7/13/11. Void where prohibited.
Free Tire Package with
each set of 4 tires
Package includes free
rotation, balance and free tire
repairs for life of tire.Some
restrictions may apply.
Passefigef
MICHELIN Harmony
* Ivm (readviear tM
* All 4**ian tuition with
Cflmfsn tread Id*
Ask Terry....
Nope, not an eagle's nest
Q. There is a huge bird's nest about the size of an eagle's
nest on Hwy. 41 between Smarr and the rock quarry. It's not
far past the logging business if traveling south toward Boling-
broke, where the power lines come through on top of one of
the first power towers on the left side of the road. It's really
amazing looking. Is it an eagle's nest?
- Blake
A. Actually it's an osprey nest. The osprey nest is much
smaller and flatter. Eagle nests sometimes are the size of a
Volkswagen Beetle.
E-mail your Monroe County wildlife questions to Terry
Johnson at TJWoodDuck@aol.com
for a trained wildlife rehabili-
tator. A hst of rehabilitators
is at
www.georgiawildlife.com. You
can find the name of a local
rehabilitator by calhng the
Fort Valley Game Mgt.
Section 478-825-6354.
Raising a fawn is difficult
at best. Even if a licensed
rehabilitator is successful in
raising a young deer, the ani
mal cannot be returned to
the wild where it belongs.
Once it is imprinted to
humans, it must spend its
life confined to a pen. Do you
want that on your con
science?
JEAfON
PAtlEH
Indiv.du.i! $50
Family of 4: $150
admiuion;
f $10 per person
Group of 25:
$7 per person
Kids 24 under FREE
Senior Citizens: $7
GH3>°GnBtDQf3>°SBf3> 0 i _____
High Falls Road Near High Falls Stale Park
IrJ
www.highfallswaterpark.com
when you purchase
4 Multi-Mile 1 tires for
passenger or light vehicles.
Sen? resImiKins sppfy 0“e r ?r<ts Juy 31,2011
Mulmit,T HfifRSpf, $«orltf and Comfort
Financing Available
Mir/? Approver/ Credit
Hours:
Monday - Friday 7 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Saturday 7 a.m. - 2 p.m.
109 Patrol Road • Forsyth
(Behind Big Chic)
TIRE & AUTO
JVt