Saturday, August 10, 2013

Growing Fast! Whitetail Fawns Nursing


It has been a little over two months since the birth of this year's whitetail fawns.  During the first few weeks of life the wobbly fawns do not travel much, remaining hidden most of the time.  Their forays with their mothers become longer as they grow stronger.  By August, the fawns are spending much of their time with their mothers.  Early morning is an excellent time to observe nursing activity in meadows and crop fields where deer frequent.



Excited fawns pummel the doe's udder as they compete for milk.  Watching the more fractious nursing sessions; I sometimes wonder how the doe manages to maintain her balance.


Within just a few minutes, perhaps 2-3; the fawns will empty the does udder and she will extricate herself from the exuberant fawns.


After a morning of nursing and grazing a fawn relaxes in the wet grass of a dew laden meadow.

As the fawn's grow older the nursing sessions will become shorter until finally they will be weaned. Still some three months away, weaning will take place in early to mid November.  Until then the fawns will be able to enjoy their nutritious treat and on occasion whitetail observers will the treated to the fast paced action of a deer nursing session.



9 comments:

Ruth Hiebert said...

Wonderful captures. I get excited just seeing a fawn,but to watch them nursing would be super special.

TexWisGirl said...

love the twin white tails!

eileeninmd said...

Adorable shots, love the cute fawns!

Lindsjö taxar said...

Great capture....and she has 3 fawns...this year many have only one here because of the Cold spring we had

Anonymous said...

Such sweet captures.

Elaine said...

Exquisite photos! You were definitely in the right place at the right time!

Carol said...

I'd be happy just to have a deer visit the yard...what great pictures. Did that Doe have 3 fawns?

Coy Hill said...

Lindsjo, Carol

While our whitetails do occasionally have triplets, twins are much more common. In this case I think that the third fawn belonged to another doe that was just out of the photo.

Montanagirl said...

Absolutely brilliant photos!