Every spring, deer populations experience a surge as mother deer give birth to fawns.
The mating season stretches from late October to early January, with fawns typically being born between late May and early June.
During the first week of a fawn’s life, the mother hides it in vegetation to protect it from predators, returning regularly to feed it.
A fawn typically stays with its mother for about a year, nursing for three to four months after birth.
In May 2020, Dawn Rasmussen’s husband heard a baby deer crying and bleating like a sheep in their yard.
When he approached the sound, a baby deer ran up to him and stood on his foot. They named the fawn Thor.
Upon finding Thor, they called a vet who, after a thorough examination, determined that Thor had been abandoned, likely due to his mother’s death, as fawns are rarely left alone.
“The fact that Thor was up and around was a really bad sign,” Dawn told GeoBeats Animals. With no space at the vet, Thor returned home with Dawn and her husband, making them instant deer parents.
Dawn was adamant about raising Thor as a wild animal, not a pet. They built a large outdoor enclosure for him to roam freely. “For the first month and a half, I slept outside in a tent near him, so he was safe at night,” Dawn shared. She fed him goat’s milk every three hours from May to September and taught him how to forage for food.
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By four months old, Thor was coming and going from the wild as he pleased. “He would be out there somewhere, and when I would call, ‘Thor, milky,’ he would come running down and come get his bottle of milk,” she said. If she was delayed, Thor would wait on their deck for his milk.
Now two and a half years old, Thor has developed a special bond with Dawn. He is part of a nearby herd, which includes his relatives.
He often leaves for extended periods, sometimes not seen by Dawn for a month. Caring for Thor has deepened Dawn’s appreciation for the outdoors and heightened her environmental awareness. “Thor’s been a great inter-species ambassador. It makes my life so wonderful. I really treasure every moment I have with Thor,” said Dawn.
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