# anyone raised a baby deer?



## tripletmom (Feb 4, 2005)

he's pretty tiny, guessing maybe a few days or a week. Almost got caught up in the mowing machine and mama hasn't returned. since last night we've gotten not quite 2 oz of canned goat milk into him, he won't suck but he does swallow what runs into his mouth. Is this enough nourishment? We put a heat lamp on him too.

Thanks.


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## Lazy J (Jan 2, 2008)

By feeding him and taking him away from his nest you have given him a death sentence. Take him back and hope his mother returns.


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## littlebitfarm (Mar 21, 2005)

I've raised a couple dozen fawns. Take the heat lamp off, he doesn't need it. No, that isn't enough milk. Keep trying, if he is healthy, he will get hungry enough and start sucking. I use a human baby bottle, just make the hole in the nipple bigger, so it about drips out by itself.

He may start a little slow but pretty quick he'll be sucking down 4 bottles a day. I never messed with night time feeding. I've also trained them to suck right off a goat. You will need to help him poop and pee. A damp cloth rubbed around his back area or a helpful dog.








[/IMG]

Kathie


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## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

I agree you should of let it be.

Natures not always kind.

But your act of Kindness will just momentarily stave off the inevitable.
Which may end up being cruel in the long run.


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## tripletmom (Feb 4, 2005)

The hay mower is a death sentance also. Have you ever seen a baby deer after that?
Is the canned goat milk ok till we get to town to get goat milk replacer?


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## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

If you can't return it then take it to a person that rehabilitates animals.
you don't risk breaking the Law,most place possession of wild life with out the proper permits and such is illegal and can be pretty pricy if your caught. 
a rehabilitation center would be more likely to reintroduce it to the wild successfully also.


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## tom j (Apr 3, 2009)

if you didn't get it with the mower , then it should have been left were it was as mom would come back to it but after you put your hand on it the human smell would put a death sentence on it as 9 out of 10 mom would not come near it , rule 1 DO NOT touch a wild baby as mom will not take it back


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## Mulegirl (Oct 6, 2010)

I second Downhome--look for a wild animal rehab place. They'll know better how to deal with it, and they'll have the permits that allow them to keep wild animals. I don't know where you are, but here in Virginia and in many other states keeping wild animals longer than it takes to find a rehab place is illegal. In the meantime, just keep trying the goat milk.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Yup. Illegal.


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## littlebitfarm (Mar 21, 2005)

tripletmom said:


> The hay mower is a death sentance also. Have you ever seen a baby deer after that?
> Is the canned goat milk ok till we get to town to get goat milk replacer?


The canned milk will probably be ok. I used the replacement milk but felt they did better with a recipe I found on the internet. 

Take a gallon of whole milk (from the store). Pour a couple cups off into a second container. Add 1 can evaporated milk (not condensed). Add 1 C buttermilk. Fill the jug back to the top with some of the milk you poured off. 

Kathie


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## littlebitfarm (Mar 21, 2005)

||Downhome|| said:


> If you can't return it then take it to a person that rehabilitates animals.
> you don't risk breaking the Law,most place possession of wild life with out the proper permits and such is illegal and can be pretty pricy if your caught.
> a rehabilitation center would be more likely to reintroduce it to the wild successfully also.


It is illegal to have one without a rehab permit (I had the permit). 

I never had any problem releasing them. They ran in my pasture with my livestock. Come fall, when mother nature called, they would jump the fence. Some came and went a few times. Some just disappeared. 

Almost all the fawns I raised were males. Found that interesting.

Kathie


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## BarbadosSheep (Jun 27, 2011)

you should have left it alone, but what's done is done so you have two choices. The best choice is to get it to a wildlife rehabber and let them deal with it. If you have to raise it yourself, it can work but only if you do it right. It has to never be with dogs and never be a pet. I used to rehab deer and was always successful. I always kept them in an overgrown pen with a kind goat for company. I never, ever handled it unless it was to feed it and then I left. My fawns always stayed skittish of me and only came to me if I had a bottle. Otherwise, they kept their distance which is exactly what I wanted. You don't want it to learn to trust humans and dogs or it means death for it. But for now...yes it needs a lot more nourishment than it's getting. It should not need a heat lamp but if it does in order to keep it's body temp up, then leave the heat lamp on it. The inside of his mouth must feel warm. If it does not, then you have a problem.


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## CarolT (Mar 12, 2009)

Would you take your baby back after a bear touched it? An animal will take their baby back as long as you _leave it alone_. The mother often leaves the fawn for hours, just because she doesn't show immediately doesn't mean she won't get it. Rabbits feed twice a day, you uncover a nest, put any babies that aren't injured back in the nest, place brush over it for shade and leave it alone. Mom will move them that night.

Raising a buck deer is often a death sentence as they can get very aggressive towards humans during rut.

In AL, they really go after anyone raising deer without permits.

Yes, a mower can really do some damage, I've seen it myself. If it's not injured, mom is it's best bet to survive. Oh, and canned goat milk is not the same as fresh, which would probably be the closest you could get without milking a deer...


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## plowjockey (Aug 18, 2008)

Seems a bit late, for you to receive "preaching" as you already have a baby deer, that needs care.

"wildlife rehab centers" are non-existent, most everywhere.

Not sure, why it will receive a "death sentance" since you wont have to teach it to hunt and it will retain most of it's instincts.

We had some friends (theyr suburbanites) who bottle raised a fawn whose mom was killed by a car. They fed it goat replacer when it got a little older, it took off, never came back to be fed, and they spotted her from time to time, for two years.

Good luck


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## Cliff (Jun 30, 2007)

tripletmom said:


> he's pretty tiny, guessing maybe a few days or a week. Almost got caught up in the mowing machine and mama hasn't returned. since last night we've gotten not quite 2 oz of canned goat milk into him, he won't suck but he does swallow what runs into his mouth. Is this enough nourishment? We put a heat lamp on him too.
> 
> Thanks.


Most times when you try to force feed by squirting milk in the mouth like this the baby ends up getting pneumonia from milk getting into the lungs. He needs to be tube fed till he learns to suck if it isn't already too late. By doing what you are doing now you're just prolonging his agony in all honesty. You aren't getting enough into him for him to survive, just enough to drag out the dying. 

I personally would've let him be or put him down, the deer are so thick they are vermin here - I definitely don't want to help any of them survive. If he were a little older young deer are delish.


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## tripletmom (Feb 4, 2005)

thank you plowjockey, I truly appreciate your comment It was either get off the tractor and move the baby or run him over with the mower. The only one who benefits from that is the buzzards. I guess my kind hearted brother in law screwed up. Woulda shoulda coulda, it's done.

Regardless, he is sucking now, from a kitten bottle. He won't suck the human bottle. He's pooping too so it's all encouraging. 

It is a buckling btw.


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## tripletmom (Feb 4, 2005)

to Cliff, 'If he were a little older young deer are delish.'

I may really get flamed for this, but we're surely not apposed to 'farm raised venison'


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## braggscowboy (Jan 6, 2004)

My suggestion, since you have it, do the best you can with what you have and hope it is the right decision. I raised one once, more trouble when grown than when small. Will surely die now if you don't take care of it or to rehab at wildlife center, if you can find one. Good luck!


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## Cliff (Jun 30, 2007)

tripletmom said:


> thank you plowjockey, I truly appreciate your comment It was either get off the tractor and move the baby or run him over with the mower. The only one who benefits from that is the buzzards. I guess my kind hearted brother in law screwed up. Woulda shoulda coulda, it's done.
> 
> Regardless, he is sucking now, from a kitten bottle. He won't suck the human bottle. He's pooping too so it's all encouraging.
> 
> It is a buckling btw.


If he had gone around it mama would've come back in the night and gotten it.


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## Cliff (Jun 30, 2007)

tripletmom said:


> to Cliff, 'If he were a little older young deer are delish.'
> 
> I may really get flamed for this, but we're surely not apposed to 'farm raised venison'


Sometimes the young ones get stuck in the fence here  I doubt anyone would flame you for that btw - in keeping with the homesteading spirit.


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## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

plowjockey said:


> Seems a bit late, for you to receive "preaching" as you already have a baby deer, that needs care.
> 
> *"wildlife rehab centers" are non-existent, most everywhere.*
> 
> ...


I don't think its preaching.
You have to remember someone may read this now and do the proper thing later or read this latter and know to do the proper thing.

But I suppose you cant turn a tractor to avoid a obstacle, even a small cute furry one?

*yup no rehab centers any where.

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Directory - Rehabbers By State
*

Bet your DNR would be happy to transport to them as well... 

Oh well should heed my sig I guess.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Well, I guess most in here will jump on me for what I would do! 

If I found a baby that young anywhere I would never leave it alone! Yes, its mother might return; yet, maybe its mother was killed already. Those would be my thoughts.

We have a totally enclosed pen where we house our young goats that are being fattened for the freezer. It is only used in late fall; so the rest of the year it is uninhabited and would be perfect for baby deer because it already has feeders and hanging water buckets. Nothing can get to it in there! That is where I would place it. 

We always have some goat giving milk and we keep frozen collostrum in case it is ever needed. A deer that young would be treated just like any goat kid that young who lost its mother or whose mother did not like it for some reason. It would be tubed with collostrum until it was strong enough to nurse. It would then be bottle fed goat milk. It would stay in that pen until it was old enough to put in the freezer! (Since our pen is in the middle of our property and cannot be seen from any side of our property, I would not concern myself with the legalities of keeping a baby deer alive long enough to process it for the freezer. Of course, it is not I who would be slaughtering it; but David, who mostly does not do the hands-on type of work I do with babies around here.


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## Cliff (Jun 30, 2007)

motdaugrnds said:


> If I found a baby that young anywhere I would never leave it alone! Yes, its mother might return; yet, maybe its mother was killed already. Those would be my thoughts.


Mother deer regularly bed down their babies and leave them while they go browse. It's a very normal thing to come upon a baby alone in a field. Means things are as they should be, not that the baby is abandoned or the mother dead.


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## Kmac15 (May 19, 2007)

My aunt raised one a couple years ago. bottle fed with goats milk until old enough to eat corn and hay. It is a doe. She did get written up by a game warden, but when she explained that the doe was able to come and go as she pleased, as was evidenced by her two babies, it was dropped.


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## nancy237 (May 29, 2008)

I do know from an expert that a mother bird will not abandon a nest when they smell humans..That is a myth..maybe its just myth about deer as well...

What is the harm in putting it near the spot it was found and watching it from afar to see if mom returns..Its still the best hope this fawn has...


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## meanwhile (Dec 13, 2007)

An elderly neighbor raised a baby deer in her house! I am not kidding. She named it Bambi and she kept it in the living room. She - the human woman - could tell when Bambi was going to "go" and she would rush over with a paper towel and place it on the floor. The Deer would poop on the paper towel! The woman fed the deer grapes and apples till she was so big the deer moved to the barn. Then the deer ate along side the cows till she leaned how to jump the fence.

Later the deer had babies and would still return to the barn to eat along side the cows. That was years ago and I don't think Bambi still comes back. But - she was cute while it lasted.


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## Mulegirl (Oct 6, 2010)

motdaugrnds said:


> Well, I guess most in here will jump on me for what I would do!
> 
> If I found a baby that young anywhere I would never leave it alone! Yes, its mother might return; yet, maybe its mother was killed already. Those would be my thoughts.


That might be the case, yes, but remember that even abandoned babies have a place in the food chain, terrible as that might seem to us. I'd feel sorry for it, myself, but probably leave it . . . it's a wild animal, and has none of the sort of expectations of care and safety that we do for ourselves and our animals. We can't save them all. :shrug:


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

I don't care what people "feel" is right. 
It IS illegal. Get it to a Licensed Wild Life place.
You get caught and wow the fines and confiscations that could take place are horrible. You can not raise, own, or house any animal that is native to your state. UNLESS you have a USDA license to do so.


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## littlebitfarm (Mar 21, 2005)

arabian knight said:


> UNLESS you have a USDA license to do so.


In Illinois the permit is issued through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. USDA is not involved at all.

Kathie


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

littlebitfarm said:


> In Illinois the permit is issued through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. USDA is not involved at all.
> 
> Kathie


If you want to set up to Rehap wild critters then I guess both get involved.
Any way you look at it a license is needed.


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## littlebitfarm (Mar 21, 2005)

arabian knight said:


> If you want to set up to Rehap wild critters then I guess both get involved.


I did it for 20 years, never once had to deal with the USDA.

Kathie


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## KrisD (May 26, 2011)

I've raised several of them. You did the right thing. Yes I was a rehabber big deal. I'm glad your family saved her from being run over. No it is completely a myth that animals won't take back there young because of human smell, the mothering bond is very strong. Mom beds them down so that if a predator comes after her they won't find her babies. People need to stop preaching, you asked for advise not judgement I recall. 

If you can find someone use raw goats milk from a tested herd preferably. The baby needs to eat far more. Try switching her to a regular baby bottle once he starts sucking pretty good a kitten bottle is too small for him to learn to suck properly. Make sure the milk is warm about 102 degrees. When they are that little I usually feed 3 times a day, I do not feed at night but their last bottle is usually late like 10 pm and of course the first he is pretty early. Don't over feed they can get scours, also switch all foods slowly for same reason. If you need help you can email me. I won't preach I promise!
My email is Liamsmommy12 at yahoo.com no I don't care if it is made public.


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## junkinstuff (May 8, 2012)

I can't believe how some people have replied. Preaching at someone makes me sick. I personally think you did the right thing. I have my rehabilitation permit and have raised many a deer/fox/****/opossum...... An animal will not leave it's babies if they smell human. That's an old wives tale that just won't seem to go away. I can understand both sides. There are very logical reasons to leave it alone.

I also know human spirit and it's very hard to leave any animal alone if you think it's going to die. Deer are very easy to raise, especially if you have lots of property. They will naturally start to roam and graze and will eventually leave for longer and longer periods of time until they take off for good. The biggest threat to them is they lose their fear of people and will be easy prey for hunters/poachers. The good thing is they are wild animals and they readily return to the wild with little to no trouble.

Just get a good quality milk replacer if you can't get FRESH goats milk. Frequent feedings are a must for a while. Every couple of hours for a while.

If you can I would definitely get him to a rehabilitation expert. As was pointed out your local DNR can help you with that. BUT if there is none in your area they will euthanize it. Would be horrible to save it from the mower only to have it put down. If you would like you can send me a PM and I will do all I can to help you in any way possible.

Respect.

Chris


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

Sounds about Grill Size


















big rockpile


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## junkinstuff (May 8, 2012)

KrisD said:


> I've raised several of them. You did the right thing. Yes I was a rehabber big deal. I'm glad your family saved her from being run over. No it is completely a myth that animals won't take back there young because of human smell, the mothering bond is very strong. Mom beds them down so that if a predator comes after her they won't find her babies. People need to stop preaching, you asked for advise not judgement I recall.
> 
> If you can find someone use raw goats milk from a tested herd preferably. The baby needs to eat far more. Try switching her to a regular baby bottle once he starts sucking pretty good a kitten bottle is too small for him to learn to suck properly. Make sure the milk is warm about 102 degrees. When they are that little I usually feed 3 times a day, I do not feed at night but their last bottle is usually late like 10 pm and of course the first he is pretty early. Don't over feed they can get scours, also switch all foods slowly for same reason. If you need help you can email me. I won't preach I promise!
> My email is Liamsmommy12 at yahoo.com no I don't care if it is made public.


We were typing at the same time GREAT post!!!!


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## meanwhile (Dec 13, 2007)

The Wildlife people came out here and fussed at the elderly neighbor who saved the Bambi deer here. Some neighbors complained about it. I thought it was awful they complained since it had nothing to do with them but they did anyway. The Wildlife Officer told the elderly woman she could not feed the deer and finally even told her they would ticket her.

By then the deer was large enough to roam how she wanted to and so the elderly neighbor just continued to feed the "cows" in the barn but made sure some grain was in the outside bin for....."cows" who might wander in from the side woods. 

We did try to find a Rehab place but none would come out and help. So - I guess she did the best she could under the circumstances. She fed the deer, which lived and then had babies for several years. 

I don't see any trouble with it but others did.


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## CarolT (Mar 12, 2009)

I don't see any problem with raising one for the freezer. I do see a problem with being told I'm preaching when the "advice" I give just doesn't agree with yours. Opinions are like belly buttons, most people have one. My opinion is that a lot of animals die later because Mother Nature has been taken off course. Dying to feed someone is acceptable, dying because it has come to associate people with food, not so much.

And saying that what's done is done, so hush, isn't so fitting. Our local rehabbers try for 3 days to reunite a healthy offspring with the parent. I don't think the fawn has been there that long...

Not "preaching", JMO

ETA I have done rehab, I personally think we should be allowed to farm raise deer for the freezer. Do I? No, it's illegal and I don't care to get F&G down on my head. I haven't had the funds to keep up with training and permits, so I no longer rehab, either.


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## Classof66 (Jul 9, 2011)

Here's a rescue/rehab place near Durand, Il. I know they do take fawns and release them when old enough. hoohaven.org. 
On her website, she says feel free to call.

This site also has some good info on rescuing wildlife. Take a look!


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## forphase1 (Aug 5, 2010)

You did the right thing, regardless of what some here may claim. As to the legalities...well, it's only illegal if you get caught. Personally, I don't really pay too much attention to the wildlife laws...if it's on my property, then it is fair game in my book, in season/out of season, illegal to trap/capture vs legal to trap/capture. If I get caught and have the pay the consequences, then so be it. I've just never really bought into the idea that the government has the right to tell me what to do with wild animals that I find on my property.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Experts preaching about leaving fawns alone:

State urges you to leave baby deer alone that appear abandoned | WSLS 10

If You Find a Fawn, Leave it Alone

Fresno Wildlife and Rehabilitation


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## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

I mistakenly liked forphase1's post. How do you unlike?

I have issues with the its on my land mentality.

if you had enough property to guarantee it never hit the boundary and it and its offspring would never exist on another persons property for even a fraction of time.that is solely exist upon your property. perhaps you would be right. 

If it where not for Government interference in matters like this we most likely would not be having this conversation as deer would be as scarce as hens teeth.

I really hate Government interference, but happen to think conservation has worked out better then most of its undertakings. no its not perfect.

The fact that you can't guarantee the animal and its offspring or even its ancestors where solely supported by and never step off your property, means others can lay claim.
that's one reason the state steps in and sets rules.

If I was so inclined I could Guarantee the neighbors a rotten season. Much as a new neighbor has Done for me by shooting everything he can. 

He even planted his Blinds on the property line, I believe with the intention of shooting over the fence line!

I have not seen a deer for three year on the back forty because of that fool and his entitlement attitude.

I plan on dropping the thickest thorniest hedge row I can around the property line.
He not only won't see a Deer he wont see sunlight!

then I plan on putting a pig pen where his house is just downwind! when it gets too dry I will be out watering it!

So since you all want to throw the rules out in such matters, lets through them all out!
the Law is what give you your property rights lets reduce it to Darwinism. 
You know survival of the fittest? 
Your land could be Mine!
But perhaps your ok with the laws that prevent killing and stealing,because it benefits you?

I suppose its all in perspective!


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## ryanthomas (Dec 10, 2009)

||Downhome|| said:


> I mistakenly liked forphase1's post. How do you unlike?


Same place you hit the like button is now an unlike button. And I agree with you on most of what you wrote.


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## HOTW (Jul 3, 2007)

Your BIL should have moved it to the edge of the field if he couldn't mow around it the mom would most likely have found it. When DH worked at west point there was a fool Dow who would plant he fawn in the flat bleachers set out by the summer stage and leave it all day andany people would call the post police to save it.it didn't Matthew how many times the fawn was moved into the long grass nearby she would mOve it back into the seating area. She did this for about 3 years with her fawns then it never happened again.

Goes to show that they know where hey leave them and that they will take them back after being handled!


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## bluemoonluck (Oct 28, 2008)

Sounds like you're okay with the potential for being busted for illegally keeping wildlife and/or you're sure your neighbors/friends/kids friends won't turn you in..... the fines for that are HUGE and it will put you on the wrong people's radar :shrug: but that's a choice for you to make, not for us to make for you.

I will warn you to make certain you are financially able to take on the expense of feeding the deer until it is able to be weaned before you commit to this. From what I remember, they drink a LOT of milk every day. You don't want to be a few weeks into this and then realize that its too $$ for you to keep spending the money on special milk/formula for the deer to get it grown.


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## Molly Mckee (Jul 8, 2006)

I have found the the DNR (or whoever is the right department in your state) is very reasonable. The first baby raccoons we raised the mother had been hit by a car. The state did check, after that they simply said it was fine to raise the babies as long as they knew what and why.


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## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

Molly you have to watch what individual officers say.
Have them back it up in writing.
then you have proof if told wrong!


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## CarolT (Mar 12, 2009)

A few years back our state passed a law that you couldn't import skunks for pets. Someone got permission, in writing, from an officer. Guess what? It didn't stand up. The officer didn't have the authority to overrule the law. Ignorance of the law is no excuse, even when you are enforcing that law. All the baby skunks had to be out of state within 24 hours or be killed. The person who bought them for resale lost a lot of money and got fined to boot.


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## nancy237 (May 29, 2008)

Would love to hear back from the OP on how the baby deer is doing...


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## tripletmom (Feb 4, 2005)

the baby is doing good. It's sucking well and pooping and they had some formula at the coop especially for fawns.

I really have to say though, I'm almost sorry I asked the question in the first place. Thanks for the helpful info, the rest, I don't even know how to respond to so I won't.


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## nancy237 (May 29, 2008)

tripletmom said:


> the baby is doing good. It's sucking well and pooping and they had some formula at the coop especially for fawns.
> 
> I really have to say though, I'm almost sorry I asked the question in the first place. Thanks for the helpful info, the rest, I don't even know how to respond to so I won't.


It should be understandable that people have different opinions..
A forum is sorta a place to accept that you will get opinions..


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## farmerDale (Jan 8, 2011)

I am in the shoulda left it camp. The people who say SAVE THE BABY DEER!!! SAVE THE BABY DEER!!!, obviously generally are aloof about wildlife, and know little of their habits. That is my opinion.

Now, I do have an interesting story on the resilience of deer. When cutting hay one year in the 1980's, my dad suddenly hit a young deer with the swather. He cut its rear leg off just below the knee. He was really saddened by this. What is interesting is that he saw the deer in the fall, and for several years after, he would see this deer, which seemed none the worse for wear. It had healed marvelously!


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Nice to hear the baby is doing well.


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## sidepasser (May 10, 2002)

tripletmom said:


> the baby is doing good. It's sucking well and pooping and they had some formula at the coop especially for fawns.
> 
> I really have to say though, I'm almost sorry I asked the question in the first place. Thanks for the helpful info, the rest, I don't even know how to respond to so I won't.



I am glad the baby is doing well. I have a lot of deer on my place as in herds, they leave babies all over and occasionally a doe will get hit by a car and her baby is left. I have one old doe that will take on new babies, even those that are not hers and have seen her with two or more fawns that I know she didn't have as they are all different sizes. Sometimes Mom Nature can be pretty understanding and surprise us at times. I have also had a goat "adopt" an orphan fawn and the fawn sucked from the goat, even getting so big as to have to get on it's knees, to nurse. 

I had a friend up in Oregon that raised several deer in her house, I will have to scan the pics in, she had a big ole buck that came and went like a dog. They also raised Sitka deer and llamas and other exotics. 

Keep feeding the little thing and hopefully it will grow and do well. Don't be surprised though if it begins to wander away as it gets bigger. All the deer I have seen that were orphaned do that. Here is a pic to encourage you:


















Both of these pics were taken less than 30 feet from my back door. "My" deer are so tame, but I don't feed them - they just know I won't shoot them I guess. I don't hunt and my neighbor who owns the 400 acres adjoining me doesn't either so the deer get thick as thieves around my place. I can walk outside and they stand and wag their tails and continue eating, it's almost like a zoo at the farm. 
Even the dogs have quit chasing them so it is very hard to have a garden at the farm, need a deer proof fence. 

Anyway, continue on with the little guy. It might help though if you have a goat you can put in with him so he has some livestock company. All the little fawns I have seen at my place have friends to play with.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

plowjockey said:


> Seems a bit late, for you to receive "preaching" as you already have a baby deer, that needs care.
> 
> "wildlife rehab centers" are non-existent, most everywhere.
> 
> ...


I doubt anyone is just "preaching". If you didn't know better, now you do. This forum is a place of shared knowledge. Perhaps through this discussion, others will know not to get near a fawn. Their moms do leave them and later come back. Assume nothing.


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## secretcreek (Jan 24, 2010)

||Downhome|| said:


> I don't think its preaching.
> You have to remember someone may read this now and do the proper thing later or read this latter and know to do the proper thing.
> 
> But I suppose you cant turn a tractor to avoid a obstacle, even a small cute furry one?
> ...


In Ohio, you are not "allowed" to touch a found fawn. I asked...I was told "do what you gotta but I know nothing"... Even if injured, abandoned, etc... The Ohio DNR does NOT want the fawns and will not rehab as they'd get way too many fawns if they kept trying to do so.

3 yrs ago, my male cat yowled and pestered me until I followed him. He led me to a fawn. I had heard what sounded like a football game air horn, and sure enough a buck fawn was laying at the roads edge with a slight injury to it's head. It was dehydrated. I knew it had to be the fawn of a yearling doe who'd been hanging out at my goat pasture fenceline for months. I'd seen her coming and going thru that area. The fawn was very dehydrated-still had it's umbilical cord. Figured the yearling doe wasn't caring for it so I decided to take the lil guy. Long story short- He rehydrated on goat milk just fine. He stayed in an open doored-plastic dog crate and came out to eat on his own-he'd walk off when full. He'd play with the dog, but was still wild natured. Other than the initial stimulation needed to pee/poo, I didn't have to do anything else for him for three weeks. I found a home for him waaay off the highway that I lived on. The fawn thrived there also, but took a liking to the family's soldier son just back from Iraq. It began to follow the young man into their house and would go to the door to be let outside to pee/defecate.:smack I warned what a buck could be like as it matured. The fawn eventually left the family and wasn't seen again. 

Usually it's best to leave an infant wild thing alone. Sometimes you just can't. I am not a bunny hugger -I'm cool with leaving animals alone...but the dumb cat was laying next to the fawn in the road-and we loved that cat. That fawn was just one of a handful of critters that cat found and brought to our home. It being dehydrated-in the road, crying and I had unlimited goat's milk. The last critter the cat brought home was a skeletal scary- emaciated ferel kitten last fall. She's ugly as sin but grown now-and no trouble at all. She likes an occasional petting- and she adored our dog. Her name is "carport kitty". She keeps mice away.


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## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

secretcreek said:


> In Ohio, you are not "allowed" to touch a found fawn. I asked...I was told "do what you gotta but I know nothing"... Even if injured, abandoned, etc... The Ohio DNR does NOT want the fawns and will not rehab as they'd get way too many fawns if they kept trying to do so.
> 
> 3 yrs ago, my male cat yowled and pestered me until I followed him. He led me to a fawn. I had heard what sounded like a football game air horn, and sure enough a buck fawn was laying at the roads edge with a slight injury to it's head. It was dehydrated. I knew it had to be the fawn of a yearling doe who'd been hanging out at my goat pasture fenceline for months. I'd seen her coming and going thru that area. The fawn was very dehydrated-still had it's umbilical cord. Figured the yearling doe wasn't caring for it so I decided to take the lil guy. Long story short- He rehydrated on goat milk just fine. He stayed in an open doored-plastic dog crate and came out to eat on his own-he'd walk off when full. He'd play with the dog, but was still wild natured. Other than the initial stimulation needed to pee/poo, I didn't have to do anything else for him for three weeks. I found a home for him waaay off the highway that I lived on. The fawn thrived there also, but took a liking to the family's soldier son just back from Iraq. It began to follow the young man into their house and would go to the door to be let outside to pee/defecate.:smack I warned what a buck could be like as it matured. The fawn eventually left the family and wasn't seen again.
> 
> Usually it's best to leave an infant wild thing alone. Sometimes you just can't. I am not a bunny hugger -I'm cool with leaving animals alone...but the dumb cat was laying next to the fawn in the road-and we loved that cat. That fawn was just one of a handful of critters that cat found and brought to our home. It being dehydrated-in the road, crying and I had unlimited goat's milk. The last critter the cat brought home was a skeletal scary- emaciated ferel kitten last fall. She's ugly as sin but grown now-and no trouble at all. She likes an occasional petting- and she adored our dog. Her name is "carport kitty". She keeps mice away.


well dont touch it... but you got this fur blob on the front lawn on your fav blanket, and your not allowed to touch it so hey you folks in the DNR need to do something! 

if i call the law enforcement agency and ask whats legal and am misinformed its not ignorance of the law!


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## Txrider (Jun 25, 2010)

I would raise a fawn, if it weren't for the law against doing so..

I'd keep it pretty quiet what your doing, don't wanna get a game warden or such coming around and fining you..


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## CarolT (Mar 12, 2009)

If you search, you will find what the law is. Your ignorance or his, AL isn't going to allow someone to have pet skunks imported. And, yes, they _can_ get away with it


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## janetn (Apr 26, 2012)

Good grief this isnt felony murder or child molestation Geez

Call the DNR tell them what happened ask them who would take the fawn. As long as you are just trying to do what is right they wont give you grief. If they dont have anyone who will take it they will be accomidating as long as you are up front with them.

Friend of mine raised one that the mom hat been killed by a car in front of her house. She raised it with goats milk. She also called the DNR and even though she did not have a permit they told her who to contact for help raising it . They told her just dont keep it in a pen - it had to be free to roam. She did that and two years later the doe was still in her horse pasture. Somewhere I have a picture of the two of us out riding with the fawn tagging along - boy did we get some looks!


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## Mooselover (May 4, 2009)

i guess some people haven't heard of dillie the deer. i'll try to post a link but if it doesn't come thru, you can just google her. honestly, i would have done the very same thing as the OP. i'm glad she got some information that would help her and the baby deer and look forward to updates on how it going. here's dillie....

www.dilliedeer.com


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## FreeRanger (Jul 20, 2005)

secretcreek said:


> The fawn eventually left the family and wasn't seen again. .


Never seen again because it ran out in front of a car, causing a teenager to loose control and crash and die....hence STOP trying to save road rodents! Let nature go it's course. 

Kind of like, NO, is like feeding rats at the barn.


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## Cliff (Jun 30, 2007)

FreeRanger said:


> Never seen again because it ran out in front of a car, causing a teenager to loose control and crash and die....hence STOP trying to save road rodents! Let nature go it's course.
> 
> Kind of like, NO, is like feeding rats at the barn.


We call them woods rats  Squirrels are tree rats.


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## FreeRanger (Jul 20, 2005)

Cliff said:


> We call them woods rats  Squirrels are tree rats.


I like that. I don't have a tree rats problem here. If the deer would just stay in the woods, I would be OK with that. However when they jump out and slam into the side of your car, that makes them "road rats." One buck totaled the Buick sedan 1 mile from our home. Next year, a doe took out the drivers mirror on the Honda. Whole family was in the car that day. Luckly my spouse, driving both times, had the sense not to steer away, but just take the foot off the gas. 

I don't mean to be a downer, but put these thoughts in your head the next time you are tempted to "save" a fawn. Your grandchild, sixteen and a new driver from the city comes to visit you. Narrow, hilly, winding road to your homestead. Deer jumps out in front of young driver. Grandchild has not been taught to keep going straight on the road, instead turns the wheel. Slips into the ditch, over corrects, into the other ditch, hits fence/trees/poles maybe flips over but doesn't die. No instead mentally disabled for life but doesn't die.

Now, the second deer/car incident. This time neighbor's grandchild is hurt the same way as above. Only the neighbor knows you have been feeding the deer. Lawsuit in the making.

Don't think this is happening? You should start reading our local paper. Multiple deer/car accidents every week, year round. Happens WAY too often. Even the county deputies have been hit by deer (and recently a raccoon did damage). So next time you give comfort to a wild animal, think about the impact on the humans.


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## sunshinytraci (Oct 20, 2007)

A few years ago, we had a fawn come right up to us and follow us into our house!! I had heard it bawling the whole day (a hungry fawn bawling sounds like a parrot and is insanely loud) and by nightfall, I guess it was desperate. He followed my kids right in the door and started looking around.

Yeah, I gave it goat milk. Pottied it. Gave it a box filled with straw under the stairs to sleep in. I figured its mom was gone as that thing was yelling its head off all day. Probably scared her away. 

Then I called the DNR. They told me to put it back in the woods. I did. It followed me back. I brought it back out. It came back. Did this the whole day. Gave up.

Spent the next 3 days located a rehabilitor who took in deer. I didn't want to raise a future garden menace. I have enough troubles. There are a few licensed people out there. Found one. She came and got it. Happy ending.

It was fun though.


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## FreeRanger (Jul 20, 2005)

sunshinytraci said:


> A few years ago, we had a fawn come right up to us and follow us into our house!! He followed my kids right in the door and started looking around.


Yes, I agree, the deer are getting WAY to friendly. :catfight: When I was raising sheep, they thought I was providing water/minerals for them. They just jump over the electric fencing to get it. Some would get tangled in the electric netting (fence) and release the sheep. Soon I noticed they no longer ran away whenever I came out to the field in the tractor, then it was the truck. Now the dogs can't even chase them away. They move farther away and then come right back out with in minutes. This Spring we are now seeing them all hours of the day, not just in the evenings. 

Stinks to be so close to the town that the neighbors (former city folk) don't hunt. I don't really care to hunt either but I feel it's my duty to keep the numbers in check. No wolves in this part of the state. I try to shoot the youngest (this year's fawns) of the group (future breeders). Hoping that the older does will become unable to re-produce. Never shoot the bucks, they can't reproduce.


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## Elsbet (Apr 2, 2009)

Our neighbor was mowing last week and my daughter saw a fawn run off from the living room window.
When deer have their babies, the babies have no scent. This goes on for quite some time. The mamas only come back to feed them, and then move away from the babies. This keeps predators from finding them. An apparently abandoned fawn is generally not, unless you see the doe dead in the road. If you are haying, and the fawn is left exposed but uninjured, the mother will relocate the fawn later. 
Now, when they follow you back to the house, crying- that's another matter! Good to call DNR in that case, and have them take care of it. Most deer diseases are not communicable to humans, or even to livestock, so they aren't going to harm anything in that way. I'd avoid handling it as much as possible, though, because you don't want wild animals to become trustful of humans- it ruins their chance of wild survival later.


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## fatrat (Feb 21, 2009)

Sure nuff, we raise them on our back corn field, organic, free range deer.


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## Deer farmer (Dec 6, 2020)

Lazy J said:


> By feeding him and taking him away from his nest you have given him a death sentence. Take him back and hope his mother returns.


Shut up no u arent he is perfectly fine if you take care of him well


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Deer farmer said:


> Shut up no u arent he is perfectly fine if you take care of him well


There's no need to be nasty and this post is 8 years old.


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## Wolf mom (Mar 8, 2005)

Deer farmer said:


> Shut up no u arent he is perfectly fine if you take care of him well





Danaus29 said:


> There's no need to be nasty and this post is 8 years old.


First post by deer farmer - notice a pattern?

BTW: deer farmer - we're not reddit - be nice.


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## Deer farmer (Dec 6, 2020)

Danaus29 said:


> There's no need to be nasty and this post is 8 years old.


I dont ****ing care the point is dont go posting saving a deer is going to kill it it is rude as ****


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## Deer farmer (Dec 6, 2020)

ITs rude af and i dont like it i am apart of the wildlife sanctuary and No we dont kill the deer that come in


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## Deer farmer (Dec 6, 2020)

Wolf mom said:


> First post by deer farmer - notice a pattern?
> 
> BTW: deer farmer - we're not reddit - be nice.


LEAVE ME ALONE *****


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

With an attitude like that you will go far.

The post is EIGHT YEARS OLD!

Go bug another forum if you want to be left alone.


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