Almost Too Curious: Fawn Facts

Almost Too Curious, photo by MichaelinA2

In honor of this great shot of a curious Whitetail fawn, here are some fawn facts gathered from the the UM Animal Diversity Web and the Michigan DNR and two hunting sites, The Whitetail Deer and Tinks.

• The whitetail fawn loses its spots by the end of October of the same year it was born, or within 3 to 4 months after birth.
• As the spots disappear, the fawn’s coat also changes from its reddish color to a grayish winter coat. The buck fawn’s face grows a bit darker in color but the belly remains white.
• Deer tend to live in female-led family groups of up to 25 deer and may live to ten years or more.
• When playing together, fawn games are suggestive of children’s games like tag. Mock fighting, aggressive postures, and scent marking helps fawns refine social behaviors.
• Young males leave their mother after one year, but young females usually stay with their mother for two years.
• The area where the fawn is born normally becomes its adult habitat.
• Male fawns grow pedicles (the attachment point for antlers) that are typically about one inch in length.
• Fawns that live past the first week have a good chance of surviving to adulthood.

Check it out bigger and see more in Michael’s 2013 Animals slideshow.

More nature on Michigan in Pictures.