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Here's our annual reminder for people to not touch fawns or elk calves if they find them while hiking or camping. Thanks for your help in spreading this message to the public!
Don’t touch baby deer that you find in the wild
SALT LAKE CITY — If you hike or camp in an area where deer live in Utah, don’t be surprised if you come across a deer fawn, or maybe even an elk calf, during the early summer. This is the time of year when they are being born, which is why you may find one during your outdoor adventures.
If you do happen to see one in the wild, you probably won’t see its mother. Not seeing its mother might lead you to believe that the animal has been abandoned. But that’s rarely the case.
“Deer fawns are actually alone and isolated during their first weeks of life — and that’s on purpose,” Utah Division of Wildlife Resources big game coordinator Covy Jones said. “The mother knows that leaving the fawn alone is the best way to protect it from predators.”
Newborn big game animals fall into two categories: followers and hiders. Followers include bison calves and bighorn sheep lambs, which follow their mothers shortly after they’re born. Hiders, such as mule deer fawns and elk calves, do the opposite — they hide, alone, for most of the day.
During the day, a doe deer will reunite with its fawn for a short time, to nurse it and care for it. Then, to draw attention away from where the fawn is hiding, the mother will leave the fawn. The doe will spend the rest of the day feeding and resting.
Fawns are born with a creamy brown coat that’s covered with white spots. This camouflaged coat allows the fawn to blend in with its surroundings. And fawns don’t give off much scent, so it’s difficult for predators to smell them. Hiding is the best way for the fawn to stay safe.
After two or three weeks, the fawn grows strong enough to start accompanying its mother.
So what should you do if you see a deer fawn or an elk calf that appears to be alone?
“Don’t approach it,” Jones said. “Watch it or take a photo of it from a distance, but don’t approach it. In almost every case, the fawn has not been abandoned by its mother.”
Finding and petting newly born animals is another problem because the animal’s survival depends on it being left alone. If you touch it, you may leave your scent on the animal, which could draw predators to it.
Even if you don’t touch the fawn, getting too close can cause the fawn to run away from you — and from its hiding place where its mother left it. Then, when the mother comes back to care for the fawn, it won’t be there.
“Keeping your distance and not touching animals are the keys to keeping young animals alive,” Jones said.
For more tips about how to safely live with wildlife, visit the Wild Aware Utah website.
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Events to check out on Free Fishing Day
SALT LAKE CITY — If you’d like to introduce someone to fishing — or you’d like to give fishing a try, but don’t have a fishing license — Free Fishing Day is the perfect opportunity.
Free Fishing Day will be held on Saturday, June 8, and allows anyone to fish at any public waterbody in Utah without a license. It makes for a great family activity and is the perfect time to introduce your kids to fishing and get them outdoors. It’s a great day not only for beginning anglers to give fishing a try, but is also a fun time for experienced anglers too.
“Because you don’t need a license to fish that day, it’s the perfect time to take someone fishing with you and introduce them to the sport,” Randy Oplinger, sport fisheries coordinator for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, said. “And, early June is one of the best times to fish in Utah. All of the fish in the state, both warmwater and coldwater fish, are active and willing to bite this time of the year.”
If you don’t have any fishing equipment or you would like some fishing tips, you can check out of one of the DWR fishing events that will be held at waterbodies around Utah that day.
“At most of the events, equipment will be available for people to use,” Oplinger said. “Volunteers will also be on hand to help you and your kids fish. Also, many of these waters will be stocked with fish before the event so there should be plenty of fish to catch.”
Here are the six events DWR is hosting or helping with on June 8:
Northern Utah
Smith Park Pond in Farr West, Weber County
This event will be held at the Smith Park Pond at 2500 W. 4000 North St. from 8 a.m. to noon and will be hosted by DWR and Smith and Edwards. Fishing poles and tackle will be provided, but you are also welcome to bring your own gear. Bring plenty of water and sunscreen.
While the event is free, please register in advance if you plan to attend. You can register at this Eventbrite link.
For more information about the event, contact DWR wildlife recreation technician, Erica Savage at ericasavage@utah.gov and at 385-515-6447.
Bountiful Pond in Woods Cross
This event will be held at the Bountiful Pond at 1275 W. 1600 North in Woods Cross from 10 a.m. to noon. DWR conservation officers and Wood Cross police officers will be available to help beginning anglers bait their hooks and catch some fish. Free pizza and prizes will also be available. If you have your own fishing rod and reel, please bring it. However, if you don’t have one, DWR will have a few on hand for people to borrow.
For more information about the event, contact DWR Cpl. Krystal Tucker at 801-391-9846 and krystaltucker@utah.gov.
Northeastern Utah
Lower Stillwater Pond in Hanna, Duchesne County
This event will be hosted by the DWR and the U.S. Forest Service and will be held at the Lower Stillwater Pond on Forest Road 134 near Duchesne from 9 a.m. to noon. This is a Blue Ribbon Fishery and includes a complex of several ponds that have a variety of fish species, including some decent sized fish, making this a great fishing area for both beginners and experienced anglers. A kid’s fishing derby will take place at the event, complete with snacks and prizes. Several educational mini-clinics and a visit from Smokey Bear will also be offered.
An aquatics biologist from the Whiterocks State Fish Hatchery will be bringing a fish-stocking truck to the pond and will be giving a demonstration on how fish are stocked into ponds around the region.
To get to Lower Stillwater Pond, drive north on Utah State Route 87 from Duchesne and turn left onto 21000 West and then continue on that road into Mountain Home. Then, turn left onto 6750 North/Rock Creek Road, which turns into Forest Road 134, and then follow that until you get to Lower Stillwater Pond.
For more information about the event, contact DWR wildlife recreation program specialist Valarie Fiorelli at vfiorelli@utah.gov and 435-828-0008.
While the event is free, please register in advance if you plan to attend. You can register here.
Moose Pond in Manila, Daggett County
This event will also be hosted by the DWR and the U.S. Forest Service and will run from 9 a.m. to noon. Like the event at Lower Stillwater Pond, this one will also include a kid’s fishing derby, snack, prize, education clinics and a visit from Smokey Bear.
Moose Pond is located at about mile 8 off of the Flaming Gorge-Uintas National Scenic Byway (Highway 44) about 19 miles south of Manila.
For more information about the event, contact DWR wildlife recreation program specialist Valarie Fiorelli at vfiorelli@utah.gov and 435-828-0008.
While the event is free, please register in advance if you plan to attend. You can register at this Eventbrite link.
Southern Utah
Bristlecone Pond in Brian Head, Iron County
This DWR event is geared toward beginning anglers and will be held at the Bristlecone (Brian Head) Pond at 535 Brian Head Blvd. from 9 a.m. to noon. Experts will describe the different fish species found in the community fishery and will give information about fishing rules and regulations. Fishing rods, tackle and bait will be provided for participants to practice their skills. DWR employees will also be available to help with knot tying, casting and unhooking fish that are caught.
Free lunch will be provided, and a drawing will be held with prizes, courtesy of Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife. You must be present to win.
For more information, contact DWR wildlife recreation program specialist Heather Talley at 435-868-8756 and heathertalley@utah.gov.
While the event is free, please register in advance if you plan to attend. You can register at this Eventbrite link.
Little Reservoir in Beaver
This event is also geared toward teaching beginners to fish and will be held at Little Reservoir from 9 a.m. to noon. This workshop will include information about fishing rules and regulations and the different fish species found in the area. Fishing equipment will also be available at this event.
Free lunch will also be provided at this event and participants will be entered into a drawing with prizes. You must be present to win.
To get to Little Reservoir from Beaver, travel east on paved Utah State Route 153 for 10 miles. Then turn right on Kents Lake Road (Front Road 137) for 0.8 miles.
For more information, contact DWR volunteer services coordinator Blaine Cox at 435-559-0798 and blainecox@utah.gov.
Participants are also asked to register for this event. You can register here.
Community fishing ponds
If you can’t attend one of the free DWR events, another good option is to fish at one of the community ponds across Utah. You’ll likely have company on Free Fishing Day, but these waterbodies are great places for beginning anglers to fish. The ponds are close to home, most have restrooms and other facilities, and many of them will be stocked with channel catfish — averaging 14 inches long — before June 8.
You can find all the community ponds on a map on the DWR website here.
Learn the rules
You don’t need a license to fish on June 8, but the other fishing rules in Utah will still be in effect. The rules are available in the 2019 Utah Fishing Guidebook.
Buy a license
Although you don’t need a fishing license on June 8, a fishing license is required to fish any other day of the year. Fishing licenses are valid for 365 days and can be purchased online or from a DWR license agent.
