Just after dawn on the morning of Saturday, September 4, about 30 individuals – Wildlife Center staff, spouses, volunteers, preceptors, and former preceptors – gathered at the Center for Part I of the Fall 2010 Fawn Round-Up. 

The objective – capture more than a dozen fawns that are ready for release back into the wild.  Most of these fawns had been patients at the Center since late May/early June.  At admission, many of them were healthy – some were orphans, and a  few had been kidnapped [fawns unnecessarily “rescued” and kept in captivity for a few days before being brought to the Center].  Several had sustained minor injuries from dog attacks. 

As young fawns, these animals were initially bottle-fed twice a day – mirroring the feeding pattern of White-tailed Deer in the wild – and gradually moved over to a diet of browse – primarily leaves and small branches gathered several times a day by Center staff and volunteers.  The fawns have been housed for weeks in a large outdoor enclosure surrounded by a stockade-style fence.

Center Wildlife Rehabilitation Coordinator Amanda Nicholson describes the round-up this way, “Having 30 people is a GREAT turnout.  A few experienced ‘deer-hands’ are designated as fawn-catchers.  Everyone else acts as a part of a ‘human wall’ – containing the fawns in a smaller area of the outdoor yard, while the catchers go in and grab them.  It generally takes two people to handle a fawn – one on the front legs, one on the back.  As the fawns are carried out of the enclosure, a hood is popped over their heads [to reduce the stress-levels] and they are carried down the hill to a waiting horse trailer. 

“Just before the fawns are loaded, their ear-tags and hoods are removed … and they’re popped into the trailer.  The whole thing is exhausting … particularly if you’re a catcher.”

On September 4, a total of 15 fawns were rounded up.  Amanda reports there were no injuries — to the fawns or the humans.  The deer were taken to a farm in nearby Afton for release.

Part II of the 2010 Fawn Round-Up will take place on in late September.  That’s when the remaining 16 fawns – generally younger deer – will be rounded up and released.

Rescue Advice: If You Find a Deer Fawn

There’s no charge to bring an animal to the Wildlife Center for treatment and care.  We rely on the generosity of caring individuals.  Your donation will help support the Center’s life-saving work with the 2,500 wild animals in need we’ll see during 2010.