Gulliver's Travels 06/09/2025

DALE SIEVERT

Hi!
​My name is BAMBI!

I just wanted to thank  you Dale, for making this really neat bed for me.  I know you probably spent jillions of dollars to make it just perfect. Sorry I had to leave so soon but Mom called me and I had to go.  I told her all about it!  She was just happy to know I was safe.  I'm telling all my friends so maybe you will have another visitor soon.  

Remember there are a lot of rocks and stuff you can trip on here, so
​BE CAREFUL!
​Love Bambi 

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This is a scenario that many people encounter in their gardens each spring. The reality of a fawn nestled amongst flowers and shrubs is a common and fascinating occurrence in nature.

While "Bambi" in this story is quite the articulate visitor, the real reasons for a fawn's solitary stay are just as compelling.

A mother deer, or doe, will intentionally leave her fawn in a location she deems safe, such as a garden, while she forages for food. This seemingly risky strategy is actually a clever survival tactic. Fawns are born with a dappled coat that provides excellent camouflage, blending them in with the surrounding vegetation. They also have very little scent, making it difficult for predators to detect them.

By staying away, the mother avoids leading predators to her vulnerable offspring with her own stronger scent. She is usually not far off and will return periodically to nurse her young. The fawn's instinct is to lie very still, even when approached, which can sometimes be misinterpreted as a sign of injury or abandonment. However, in most cases, the fawn is healthy and simply waiting for its mother's return.

It is crucial for anyone who discovers a fawn to remember the advice "Bambi" gives: "BE CAREFUL!" and, most importantly, to observe from a distance. Interfering with a healthy fawn by getting too close, touching it, or attempting to "rescue" it can do more harm than good. It can cause the fawn significant stress and may even deter the mother from returning.

If a fawn is in immediate danger, such as being on a busy road, or appears visibly injured, the best course of action is to contact a local wildlife rehabilitation center or the state's wildlife agency for guidance.

So, while Dale's "really neat bed" may not have cost jillions, his quiet stewardship of the garden provided a perfect, temporary sanctuary for a young deer—a true act of kindness to his wild neighbors.

This charming story serves as a wonderful reminder of the surprising and delightful moments that nature can bring to our own backyards.