Found a Baby Deer in the Hudson Valley? Is It Safe to Help?

Many Hudson Valley residents are asking "what do I do if a deer needs help?"

This time of year it's not out of the ordinary to see baby deer running around in the Hudson Valley. Wildlife experts say that whitetail deer fawns are born between April and July and during those months many local residents have many questions about what they should be looking for if they come in contact with one.

According to the Middletown Humane Society after a baby deer is born its mother will often leave them unattended during the day hours while she goes out and forages. It's safer for the mom to forage alone, all while keeping predators away from the babies, so if you happen to find a fawn without its mother it might be fine and not need any help.

A Baby Deer That Needs Help, What to Look For

If you happen to find a baby deer on or around your property, there are a few things that the Middletown Humane Society recommends you look for to determine whether or not it might need help. Obviously, if the baby deer is visibly injured it will need help but the humane society also says that most baby deer that are in need of help will make lots of sounds and approach people.

If you are close enough and see that the deer is infested with parasites like ticks or fly eggs they are in need of help. The humane society also says that if you can see their ears, look at their ear tips, if they are curled they are most likely in need of help as well. Curled ear tips indicate dehydration according to wildlife experts.

What Should You Do if you Find a Deer That Needs Help?

The Middletown Humane Society recommends that anyone that comes in contact or sees a deer that needs help contact a local licensed wildlife rehabilitator. You can search for a licensed wildlife rehabilitator online here.

A Healthy Baby Deer, What to Look For

A healthy deer will be lying quietly in the grass hidden from predators. If you are close enough to the fawn and can see their ears, the humane society says to look at them, and if their ear tips are "perky and straight not curled" they are OK.