We found a little fawn right next to our garden fence these days! It was hiding in the tall grass next to the farm track leading over to the nearby fields that runs along there. So we kept back, watching (and photographing) from a distance and waiting to see what it would do. Now, fawns are left alone by their mother on a regular basis, well hidden and camouflaged against potential predators, but we noticed this one was literally screaming in intervals, as if in pain.
So after a while we finally called the local huntsman in charge to find out if it’s mother might have fallen victim to a deer accident along the local freeway and if we could do anything beyond just leaving it alone. He even came over (a super friendly guy!) to have a look but while waiting the little guy left the scene, crossing the farmway and heading for the dense undergrowth over there, limping visibly. We were unable to find it again but heard it scream for well over another hour.
Next morning we got a call from the hunter telling us that at dusk it was spotted together with its mother, crossing the adjacent wheat patch and unfortunately still limping perceivably. Sadly, he told us he didn’t give it much of a chance of survival, but at least we did the right things dealing with the situation:
- Leave. It. Alone.
- Don’t touch or even pet it, the mother will most likely abandon it if it suddenly has a human smell on it.
- Keep your dog leashed.
- If you’re still around and it isn’t picked up by some family member within a couple of hours, call the local hunter or forester and let him adress the situation.
