Deer Farmer

TexasDeer

A question to licensed deer wildlife rehabilitators - how soon do you release your fawns after they have been weaned from bottle?

dtala

if you are going to release em right after weaning you may as well just shoot em then because the survival rate to one year will be zero.

I would make plans, and room, to keep em over winter and release after spring greenup. Much, much better survival rate.

TexasDeer

The governing board over Wildlife Rehabilitators in our state won't
allow us to keep them that long. They have to be released by 12/31.

TexasDeer

I disagree with your statement that their survival rate is zero. We release fawns in groups of 2 - 8; in areas where there are established deer herds nearby. We have seen the released fawns join the groups of older does and older bucks. Releasing them in late July/early August would still allow them plenty of available browse and forbs to eat before winter sets in.

dtala

1. ya'll need to change that boards rules.
2. Disagree all you want, it still won't save those fawns. Been doing this for near 40 years.