Expect to start seeing fawns in May and June

A thicket, a patch of tall grass and a quiet spot in your back yard – all places that fawns have been found. For the first few weeks of a white-tailed deer fawn’s life, its mother will hide it in secluded locations. This behavior helps reduce the potential of predators finding the fawn.

While fawns may seem abandoned, they rarely are. All wild white-tailed deer begin life this way.

A fawn’s spots are excellent camouflage and will help it stay hidden from predators. In addition to being hidden by its mother and having spotted camouflage, fawns have another adaptation to help them survive – they are virtually odorless when they are young.

If you find a fawn alone, do not touch it! There is a good chance it is supposed to be there. It is not uncommon for deer to leave their fawns unattended so as not to draw attention to where the fawn is hidden. The mother will return periodically to nurse her fawn when she feels it is safe.

The best thing to do is to leave the fawn alone and enjoy the experience from a distance. Leaving baby animals in the wild ensures they have the best chance for survival. Help keep Michigan’s wildlife wild.

Only licensed wildlife rehabilitators may possess abandoned or injured wildlife. Unless a person is licensed, it is illegal to possess a live wild animal, including deer, in Michigan.  

Learn more at Michigan.gov/Wildlife or contact DNR Wildlife Division at 517-284-9453.

Deer and elk comparison. Elk can weigh several hundred pounds more and stand 2-4 feet taller than deer

A bull and cow elk in Michigan.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources reminds deer hunters hunting in the northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan that wild elk are also found in this area and cannot be harvested without an elk hunting license.

“Unfortunately, in the past we have had deer hunters who make the mistake of harvesting a young male or a calf elk thinking it’s a white-tailed deer,” said Shelby Hiestand, DNR wildlife biologist. “Although a mistake, this would be an illegal take of game, which is a serious wildlife offense.”

Elk and white-tailed deer are close relatives and from the same , but hunters can tell the difference between them by looking at a few characteristics.

“Always positively ID your target before pulling the trigger,” said Hiestand. “You have all of the control over taking an animal, so be certain on what you are harvesting.”

Deer and elk have significant size differences. Elk can weigh several hundred pounds more and stand 2-4 feet taller than deer. Elk males also have a different appearance, with a lighter back and hindquarters and a darker, reddish-brown neck and head. Female elk are a reddish-brown color without a color variation. Both male deer and elk have antlers. Adult bull elk antlers are typically significantly larger than white-tailed deer antlers and branch beyond the ears; however, young spike bulls can have significantly smaller, unbranched antlers.

“If you know of a wildlife violation that has taken place or you have made a mistake, call our Report All Poaching line at 1-800-292-7800,” said Hiestand.

Michigan has had an elk hunting season annually since 1984, and a weighted lottery system has been used since 2003. In 2016, 200 elk hunting licenses were available to those selected in the random drawing.

A man who allegedly shot deer while being a mentor during the youth hunt has pled guilty. It is the first case of a violation meeting the new enhanced sentencing guidelines for poaching that became law in Michigan earlier this year.

According to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, conservation officers responded to a complaint phoned in to the Report All Poaching (RAP) Line on September 21, involving an adult suspect who allegedly killed two trophy white-tailed deer in Montcalm County during the 2014 Youth Hunt, while acting as a mentor to an 8-year-old hunter.

After receiving the information from the RAP Line dispatcher, three DNR conservation officers (Sgt. John Jurcich, Officer Cary Foster and Officer Dave Rodgers) began an investigation in Lowell and Grand Rapids attempting to locate Jacob Powers, 25, of Lowell, and the two deer. They located Powers at approximately 3 a.m. at his workplace. Officers obtained a confession to the incident and returned to his residence, where they were assisted by the Lowell City Police in recovering evidence to complete their investigation. Officers seized two large antlered heads, meat and a shotgun used to take the animals.

It was determined Powers had taken both deer himself that morning in Bushnell Township, Montcalm County, while accompanying an 8-year-old youth on his first hunt. Powers illegally tagged one deer with the Mentored Youth Tag issued to the young hunter and procured a second license tag from a 6-year-old female family member prior to transporting the animals. Officers established Powers had captured trail camera images of the deer prior to the hunt and knew trophy deer were present in the hunt area. Officers concluded their investigation by issuing an appearance ticket with a court date and left the home.

Five days later, a conservation officer discovered two hides and evidence of deer processing that had been dumped in a parking lot at the Lowell State Game Area, in Ionia County. Having not recovered these items on the night of the original investigation, the officer returned to meet with Powers and obtain a confession to the littering on state lands, leading to an additional charge.

Powers was arraigned October 3, on the charge of taking two white-tailed deer during the closed season before a magistrate of the 64B District Court at Stanton, in Montcalm County. At arraignment, Powers entered a plea of guilty to the charge and was sentenced. He was assessed $335 in fines and costs, $12,000 in restitution for payment to the state’s Fish and Game Protection Fund, and five days mandatory minimum jail time to be served as community service. In addition, Powers now faces up to five years of hunting license revocations in Michigan and 41 other states that participate in the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact. Powers has yet to appear on charges in Ionia County for littering.

“The tougher poaching penalties were developed last year and approved by the Legislature and governor, and represent the first major changes to poaching laws in our state since 1990,” said DNR Law Enforcement Division Chief Gary Hagler. “Concerned hunting organizations and conservation officers have noticed an increased interest and demand for large antlered deer, which are frequently targeted by poachers who trespass, hunt at night and without a license. This is the first case prosecuted under the new law to enhance penalties and represents a great case of our officers and the local justice system working together to bring justice to individuals targeting trophy animals.”
Recent changes to penalties increased fines in this case by $10,000 and added two years of additional license revocations. Under the new law, antlered deer are assessed an additional $1,000 in restitution plus the standard $1,000 for illegally killing any deer. Deer with eight points but not more than 10 are $500 a point, while deer with 11 points or more are assessed a penalty of $750 per point.
“Ethical hunters, wildlife viewers and our officers are hopeful that increased penalties will cause potential violators to rethink the temptation of poaching a trophy deer while providing additional protection for this valuable wildlife resource,” Hagler said.
For more information on the laws and regulations for hunting and fishing in Michigan, go to www.michigan.gov/conservationofficers.