Fawn Season

While hiking around the woods near Elk River, ID, I happened upon this little beauty.

I walked by it once without noticing it even though I was looking down at the ground for flowers and fungus. I decided to walk the short trail again to take photos of some flowers I saw and then with a quick glance to my left the sun dappled on this little fawn and I saw it curled up among the brush.

I immediately got nervous because I had Luna with me and thankfully she was on her leash so she couldn't pounce on it. But happily she didn't smell it nor see it so was oblivious to my oohs and aahs. I took some time to take a picture or two and then continued walking on to find the orchid I passed earlier. Luna helped me with that photo by sitting on it while I snapped a blurry photo.

 Then I turned back  to return to the parking lot and took one more peek at the precious baby and it had turned it's head. So I took another quick photo and moved on. It was only about 10 feet from the trail and I did not want to spook it but also realized that I was only one of dozens of people who would walk the trail that day.  I tried not to think about what might happen when others walked by and had dogs off their leash or saw it and wanted to get closer. Over the years I have seen entirely too many people approach wildlife "to get a better view" all the while stressing it out. I know it may not be fair to just assume people would try to touch it or get way too close but I suspect they would. And heaven forbid they think it was abandoned and then feel the need to "take care of it". I didn't see mama deer but know she wasn't too far away. I am just going to hope that on that day, for that fawn, things worked out and it is bounding around the forest with its mom learning about how to be a deer.