FAWNS: The First Pictures.

By Robert Hoague

Seeing the first Fawns of the year is one of the highlights of this deer watcher and wildlife photographer’s Spring. It is always special seeing initial Fawn of the year when you have your camera handy. You just don’t know when it’s gonna happen. It is a surprise every time.

And it’s equally exciting to actually take that first Fawn picture. As well as the additional Fawn pictures that always come in the weeks ahead.

Onward:

During the last few days Fawns have surprised me several times. Usually the Fawn was with a doe and they were both giving me the “so long to ya” white flag. But this morning things shook out differently. For one thing I had my camera with me. And secondly, a doe and fawn were browsing in a nearby, semi open area to the north.

A lone doe let me see her as she walked along the edge of a strip of hard wood trees. She paused by an oak tree and browsed on weeds in the high prairie flowers and grass.

The doe walked several steps ahead. I got this picture too. And I noticed movement ahead of the doe.

The doe moved a little more to where the grass was less dense. Aha, a Fawn was a few steps out ahead of the doe. I carefully raised my Sony and brought the two deer into the camera’s view. Click.

I wanted a picture of the fawn by itself and waited anxiously. Finally I noticed the fawn and zeroed the Sony in on it. And took a fawn picture.

Immediately I zoomed in closer on the small fawn and got the picture below. It’s where those white spots are.

And with that, my picture taking was over, but seeing deer wasn’t. A doe with 2 fawns came through on the move. I took a few pictures but unfortunately they were no good. Next I saw another doe with 2 fawns jump my property fence 150 yards away. All 3 cleared the fence and entered my neighbor’s hay field south of my house. As time passed I saw 3 more solo does and a one of the many bucks with starter velvet antlers.

Life is good here in the deer woods.