It’s the time of year when deer give birth to their young in Indiana. With the spread of suburban areas into natural habitats, many people find fawns appearing to be abandoned by the mother. Thinking the animals are orphaned, hurt, abandoned or lost, well-meaning individuals sometimes “rescue” them.

In most instances, that’s a bad idea. Doing so is not only unnecessary, but also bad for the animal. It also is illegal if you don’t have the proper permit. With more and more suburban areas being built close to natural areas, young animals are increasingly born near humans and discovered without an adult animal nearby, so a few reminders are especially pertinent.

“The apparent lack of an adult does not mean a young animal is alone,” said Linnea Petercheff, operations staff specialist for the DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife. “Adults often leave their young alone while they forage for food, but rarely do they abandon their young.”

The best way to make sure a fawn is truly orphaned is to wait and check it periodically.

Before taking any action, remember the following:
•If the fawn is not injured, the mother is likely nearby.
•Leave the fawn alone and its mother will probably come and get it. Deer can take better care of their young than a human can.
•Human scent on the fawn will not prevent the mother from taking care of it.
•If you do not see any deer nearby, have someone keep a lookout who can watch the fawn without being seen by the mother.
In most cases, the mother deer will come back and get the fawn after you leave the area.

Remember … wild animals are just that – wild animals – and should be left in the wild.

White-tailed deer are protected by law and cannot be kept as a pet. Wild animal rehabilitation permits are issued to qualified individuals who take in sick, injured, or orphaned wild animals with the intent of releasing them back into the wild.

If you truly encounter an abandoned or injured deer, do one of the following:
•Call the DNR/USDA Wildlife Information Hotline, 1-800-893-4116, during business hours.
•Check the DNR/USDA-Wildlife Services website, wildlifehotline.info
•Call the DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife in Indianapolis, 317-232-4080.
•Call your DNR law enforcement district headquarters or regional headquarters; contact information is at IN.gov/ dnr/lawenfor/2755.htm

DNR launches hunters
helping farmers program

Deer hunters in need of a place to hunt, and farmers/landowners in need of crop damage relief now have a way to contact each other using a tool developed by the Department of Natural Resources.
To participate, deer hunters may submit an online application, July 1 through Aug. 30, at www.IN.gov/dnr/ fishwild to hunt private land in Indiana. Hunters submit for up to two counties they would like to hunt.

Farmers/landowners then select individuals to interview for rights to hunt.

The program does not alter normal DNR deer hunting regulations. Hunters must adhere to all bag limits, county antlerless deer quotas and license fees. Farmers/landowners determine whether hunters may harvest antlerless deer or deer of either sex.
Information requested on the application, determined by a DNR survey of farmers/landowners, addresses common concerns about selecting the hunters most likely to address farmer/landowner needs.

To obtain a list of potential hunters, farmers/landowners should contact their DNR district wildlife biologist as listed at www.IN.gov/dnr/fishwild starting Sept. 14.

Hunters must be 13 years old to apply. Further information will be available in the 2009-2010 Hunting and Trapping Guide.
According to Indiana Code, a hunter invited onto a landowner’s premises for the purpose of hunting does not have an assurance the premises are safe for hunting. Therefore, the owner of the premises does not assume responsibility or incur liability for an injury to the person or property caused by an act or failure to act of other persons using the premises, unless the act is of malicious intent or is illegal.

Orienteering workshop
at Spring Mill State Park

Spring Mill State Park will offer a two-hour workshop on the outdoor skill of orienteering at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, July 7.

Orienteering is a useful skill employing a map and compass to navigate through the woods and even cities too. During the workshop, participants will learn how to read a compass and topographic map and how to use the skills in orienteering. Participants will finish the evening by completing a 1.2 mile orienteering challenge course, specially designed for the workshop.
“Orienteering offers a fun way to explore outdoor areas,” said Jill Vance, Interpretive Naturalist. “It’s also an important safety skill to have if you spend time in the woods. GPS units don’t always get a clear satellite signal, and the batteries can go dead. A map and compass can be relied upon.”

The workshop costs $20 per person, which includes a compass and topographic map for each person to take home, and is appropriate for ages 12 and up. Pre-registration is required.

To register, call the Spring Mill Park Office at 812-849-4129 by no later than July 1.

Park admission of $4 per vehicle for in-state residents and $7 per vehicle for out-of-state residents does apply. 2009 Annual Entrance Passes are also available.

For more information on this and other upcoming events contact Coletta Prewitt at 812-849-4129 or cprewitt@dnr.in.gov

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments may contact Jack Spaulding by e-mail at jackspaulding@hughes.net or by writing to him in care of this publication.