A day-old fawn is about the same size as a cat. It has no scent when its born. The best protection the mother can provide is to stay away. Most babies that arrive are not abandoned, but left alone by its mother as its best defense against predators, if not well intentioned people. Their dappled coat allows the fawns to blend into many backgrounds.
The fawn will nurse several times a day. In a rehab setting they get goat's milk. Unlike raccoons, they are not fussy eaters and readily take to the bottle.		The fawn (pictured above) wears a halter since it had to be moved inside for the July-4th celebrations. Deer are such nervous animals that even the very young can have heart attacks if subjected to the fireworks which are the normal part of Independence Day festivities

Female white-tail will stay with their mothers for the rest of their lives, becoming part of her herd. Except during the birthing season when does will separate the herd to raise their young.

The male will remain with his mother for about a year. The yearling may join a herd of other adolescent males. Later in life, he will live alone -- except during the season rut.

By the end of the first summer, deer lose their spots. The female will measure somewhere between 3 and 4 feet at the shoulder. Mature males may reach 5 feet. Deer in the north are larger than their southern counterparts. It is believed that the deer pictured here was a mixed-breed, both mule deer (or black tail) and white tail, for where their paths cross the two species will often interbreed.

In a rehab setting, deer may spend their first winter in captivity, for about the same time they are ready for release winter is upon us, when life is harsh and grazing is sparse. Release time also coincides with the hunting season, and in some states where deer are hunted with bow and arrow, hunting season follows hunting season. When this happens, the rehabilitator keeps them over winter and it becomes the deer's job is to put on as much weight as possible before spring release.