It’s planting season for farmers and vegetable gardeners and there’s not much that will survive the tiller’s blades as it churns up the soil. Many farmers these days are leaving the remains of the fall harvest to decay for the winter and then plowing it under in the spring, adding the organic remains of the last crop to enrich the soil. Certainly an environmentally sound practice, but the fallow fields from last fall could now be home for nesting ground birds such as whippoorwills and quail. The unhatched eggs in their nests may well become corn fertilizer, too. Varmints like ground hogs, field mice and skunks all have pups emerging from the den this time of year and as tiny and helpless as they are they, too, could suffer an untimely fate.

Unplowed fields also make a great hiding place for the numerous fawns that are born this time of year. The doe will intentionally leave her newborn hidden in a field of corn or hay and go off on her own, and not necessarily only when she’s hungry. Deer actually abandon their young to protect them. Newborn fawns not only have their white spots and stripes to help camouflage them but they also lack the scent of their parents at this young stage so the babies are actually safer from predators that rely heavily on a sense of smell, such as foxes, coyotes and stray dogs, if the parent is not nearby. The mother will return to her young several times a day but only long enough to nurse them then she returns to her strategy of hiding her baby in plain sight. Once the fawn is strong enough to be swift of foot it will join its mother, start feeding on plants and learning the other survival skills it will need.

Of course farm fields aren’t the only place a momma deer will hide her baby. The hiding place could be almost anywhere. Even in a backyard, schoolyard or playground, and quite often hidden fawns wind up being “rescued” by well-meaning people. If you do happen to stumble upon a hidden fawn, the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries requests that you leave it alone. Most likely its mother knows where it is and will return for it. If you or someone you know “rescues” an abandoned fawn it is probably best to return it to the spot where it was found. The parent will remain in the area for at least a day looking for her baby. If you come across an injured or truly orphaned fawn please don’t take matters into your own hands. There are licensed wildlife rehabilitators who specialize in rescuing animals. They can be contacted through VDGIF by calling the 24-hour hotline at (804) 367-1258 or by visiting http://www.dgif.virginia.gov. Please remember it is illegal to keep a wild animal in captivity even if you are attempting to rehabilitate it. Wild animals all have special needs and untrained people could very well endanger or even kill the animal they are trying to rescue. For example, cow’s milk will induce very severe diarrhea in fawns.

Unfortunately, even fawns brought to rehabilitation facilities have a poor chance. According to VDGIF more than 50 percent of fawns brought to rehabilitation don’t make it due to injuries or unavoidable stress caused by the rescue. Of those released, only a small fraction survives their first year in the wild. Released deer are much more susceptible to disease and predation. In Frederick County where Chronic Wasting Disease has been discovered, injured and orphaned deer rehabilitation is forbidden.

Although it may be difficult to comply, it’s usually in the best interest of wild animals to leave them be. Mother Nature will take charge of their fate.