Now is the time of year when does are giving birth to their young, and many people are finding newborn fawns alone in the woods.

Although fawns may appear feeble and abandoned, the Pennsylvania Game Commission urges people to simply leave them alone."During the first few weeks of life, does only associate with their fawns briefly, usually at sunrise and sunset with fawns nursing only two or three times a day," said Jeannine Tardiff Fleegle, wildlife biologist for the Pennsylvania Game Commission.A doe will have little interaction with her newborn because she has a scent that predators may detect, but thanks to her strategic grooming, the fawn has no scent.By keeping her distance, about 90 meters, the doe ensures that she does not draw any kind of threat to her fawn while still keeping watch over it.The fawn itself will normally "hide" in high grasses or vegetation, so what seems like an abandoned fawn is actually a thoroughly protected one.If a human touches a fawn, the mother will not reject it, but it increases the chance that a predator may be the one to detect the fawn more easily.A newborn fawn's interaction with humans can also interfere with imprinting, which is a rapid learning stage following birth where animals establish a long-lasting behavioral response to a specific individual.According to Fleegle, "fawns take several days or longer to imprint on mom. During this interim, fawns risk being attracted to almost any large moving object even people. That's why does are secretive and aggressive during fawn rearing."If a person removes the fawn from the forest, it's not too late to return it to its mother."Put it back exactly where it was, and she will still care for it," said Cheryl Trewella, the game commission's information and education supervisor for the southeast region.She adds, "The time period where they're easy to pick up is during the first few weeks of its life. After that, fawns are fast."If a fawn happens to be rejected by its mother, it is important to remember that this is a part of nature.Based on research, between 28 to 43 percent of Pennsylvania's fawns will not make it past 6 months of age, a reality that occurs due to predators, starvation, failure to nurse, infections and parasites.Biologists say people should not make the situation worse.Basically, if you see a fawn, resist the urge to pick it up, no matter how many years of childhood you spent watching "Bambi."