Fallow fawns

[Andrewslater]

Out this morning and stumbled across what I'm certain was a fallow fawn. No bigger than knee high and i would estimate a few weeks old at most. Other fawns seen in the area are expected size and moving about with mum. This one was tucked up in wood with no clear doe around so obviously been left for her to feed.

Anyone else had similiar experience, is this common?

 

[TringSaint]

That seems very small for a fallow fawn. Knee high would suggest lamb size which does seem a bit on the small side.

Also very late in the year for a newborn deer, apart from muntjac - would have meant the doe coming into estrus in Jan as opposed to October which, again is unusual, as for many ruminants, it’s the change in the amount of light hitting the eye in autumn that triggers a proper estrus cycle, hence why sheep etc get tupped in late sept / October.

 

[VSS]

Out this morning and stumbled across what I'm certain was a fallow fawn. No bigger than knee high and i would estimate a few weeks old at most. Other fawns seen in the area are expected size and moving about with mum. This one was tucked up in wood with no clear doe around so obviously been left for her to feed.

Anyone else had similiar experience, is this common?

There will always be a few unseasonal / late born fawns. There's not much chance of them surviving the winter.

 

[Andrewslater]

Sorry, to be clear knee high was its high at its back, not its head and neck.

Agreed seems very late but almost certain it was a fallow fawn. no known muntjac in the area.

 

[thomas]

As VSS says, there will always be unseasonal / late born fawns.... it just happens. The picture below was taken on 8th Februray this year.

 

[NickJ]

We used to get the odd August born fallow fawn when I worked down South, they were obviously wee and still fluffy come Nov 1 and the first to be culled as their chances of surviving the winter were slim

I was talking to a deer keeper from a park years ago and he said he noticed that late fawns were more likely born to first time mothers in his park, if so they presumably can come into season later

 

[SussexSteve]

October is the latest I’ve known one born here

 

[liongeorge]

As VSS says, there will always be unseasonal / late born fawns.... it just happens. The picture below was taken on 8th Februray this year. View attachment 327995

Absolutely...I've shot some tiny fawns like this on the New Forest in winter. Never in good shape.

 

[Tiffbuck21]

Shot a fallow doe couple of years back in November with a fully formed fawn inside her.

 

[Donkey Basher]

Our Jack Russell caught one about the same size as the OP’s photo on a pheasant drive about 20 years ago, unsurprisingly it wasn’t in the best of health when it got caught & certainly wasn’t after…