Within minutes of birth, most fawns will attempt to stand and take their first steps. They are very vulnerable to predators and at this point their survival depends on the doe. Many factors determine whether they will make it through the first week of life.
After giving birth, the doe eats the afterbirth, cleans the area, and bathes her fawns to eliminate scent. This reduces the likelihood of predators locating the newborns. Usually a fawn can walk a short distance within a half-hour of birth. To stay one step ahead of predators, a doe will move her fawn(s) shortly after birth and constantly relocate them during the first few weeks. This is often a reason why people try to “rescue” fawns seen on their property by themselves. To enhance survival, a doe will also force her fawns to bed apart and will almost never bed with them.
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