Twin Deer Fawns Were Born in My Yard Last Week!

The adorable twin mule deer fawns seen in this photo in my backyard were born last week on June 8th, 2026!

Google made this collage a bit out of sequence order...

My husband and I had gone out for breakfast to celebrate our June birthdays, and when we arrived home, we looked out the window to see if there were any deer in our yard, as we wanted to do some gardening. We saw a Mule Deer doe lying in the shade under a pine tree in our side yard. It was a hot day with temperatures reaching 90 degrees. When we saw two hoves, we realized she was in labor and about to give birth!

 

The gestation period for a Mule Deer's pregnancy is around 200 days, and many in our neighborhood were also seeing fawns being born. This was the second time we witnessed fawns being born in our backyard in the thirteen years we have lived here--see the first time in this blog post. 

Female deer that are giving birth for the first time, often called yearlings, typically have only a single fawn. Mature does, however, frequently produce twins. I could see this deer was still in labor with the second twin when a curious buck showed up in our yard! If you look closely, you can see that his new antlers were beginning to grow in.

A doe licks the newborn fawn and eats every part of the products of birth to remove their scent and protect the fawn from predators. The buck came close to see what she was doing, and she had to get up and chase him away three times before he left for good!

It was nice to watch how caring the Momma doe was to her fawn.

A short YouTube video of the first fawn twin taking its first steps on wobbly legs.

The doe retreated under the pine tree again to give birth to the second fawn.

It began to thunder, and we had a brief rain shower, so she stayed under the tree during the storm.

When the sun returned, the firstborn twin curled up to take a nap...

...while the doe cleaned the second-born twin and bonded with it.

Momma Doe also looked ready to take a nap! 

They all remained in our backyard until the next morning, when they left. 

Important: a doe will leave her fawns for long periods of time to protect them from predators, as fawns' fur does not have a discernible scent. She will return for short periods to allow them to feed. If you ever come across a fawn that is alone when hiking, leave it be!

It was the end of a beautiful day!

I know these fawns will be back in my yard from time to time this summer, and it will be fun watching them grow!

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Nature's Miracle Outside My Window

This is a view I had outside my kitchen window yesterday--a brand new fawn nuzzling its mother!

 

They shared many kisses while...

,,, a twin sibling fawn slept all curled up at the bottom of my backyard retaining wall!

Early in the morning of June 15th my husband and I were opening our window shades and were surprised to see this mule deer doe give birth to twin fawns!  They came out one at a time, all wet and dark and still covered with their amniotic sack.  The doe diligently licked each one clean from head to toe, and as she did the fawns' eyes opened and they began to move--it was a miracle to watch!

I took the YouTube video above of the doe giving birth to the second fawn. It was amazing to see!  After resting for a while and nursing the fawns she completely removed all traces of giving birth from our lawn.  One would never be able to tell what had just occurred. We kept very quiet and allowed her to stay as long as she wanted. 

By the late afternoon, the twins were walking well and even hopping and leaping at times!   If you'd like to see a short video of them at this stage you can watch it on my blog's Facebook page at Mille Fiori Favoriti on this link. 

It was an unusually warm day in Colorado and the doe kept moving the fawns into the shade to keep them cool.  She is a very attentive mother!

One important fact to know about all deer is that a few hours after birth, when the fawn can stand and walk, the doe will move it from the birth spot to a new hiding place. A fawn spends most of its first weeks of life bedded down alone. The doe stays away from her newborn except to nurse it periodically and to lead it to new bed sites.  The doe does this to protect it from predators.  If you come across a fawn that is all alone DO NOT PICK IT UP!  Most likely the mother is nearby and is taking care of it.  Sadly, many people think a fawn that is alone is abandoned and will bring the fawn to the police, or wildlife rescue, only to learn this fact.

It was a beautiful experience to see the twins being born and nurtured--a true miracle right outside my window!

I hope all fathers have had a very Happy Father's Day today! 

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