Close call

[Ben.MN/WI]

I was brush hogging my strip of oats for a second time yesterday to get the random strips that popped back up after the first mowing. After I finished that job, I decided to brush hog a 20 foot wide strip of grass that runs along the edge of one of my fields. I want to try to plant something there that will benefit the deer more than the random mix of weeds growing there now. I was going slow since I didn't want to hit any turkey nests or fawns and I got lucky and spotted a bedded fawn early enough that I was able to stop within a foot of it. The little guy never moved an inch.

My plan to add another 1/8 acre of deer food almost killed the critters I'm trying to help. No more brush hogging areas like that this time of year for me.

 

[tooln]

Glad you didn't hit him. That's funny how they will just lay there and not move.

 

[scott44]

A couple weeks ago I was walking through our woods and almost stepped on one. They sure don't move a hair.

 

[tcook8296]

I have a lot of high grass on my place that needs to be cut. Ive seen several fawns on the property over the last two weeks. I think Im going to wait another week or two before I mow. Hopefully they will be trailing their mom's by then

 

[bowhunternw]

Never before have I nearly stepped on one, it has happened twice this year. I would feel terrible if I ran one through a mower, think I will wait a while. How long is there defense to sit still vs. running away?

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

I saw the fawn again today and I think it's mom isn't very good at picking hiding places. This morning she had the fawn bed in the oat strip that I brush hogged 2 days ago. The stubble was maybe 5" tall and the fawn was easy to see. The doe is a young deer and I wonder if that has something to do with it. Hard to say if the younger does don't know any better or if they're stuck with the second best fawning areas after the old does get the prime spots. There are old does that bed in the thick grasses and shrubs around my house, so maybe they push the young does to less than prime cover. I will say though that the fawn is big and in great shape despite the less than ideal bedding areas.

My new neighbor has been spending the last few days mowing his 10 acres of overgrown former pasture, so I wonder how many fawns have been chopped up over there.