Oh Deer: Bambi Babies In Bergen County Spark Message From Local Police

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — D'oh! A deer. A sleeping deer.

Residents of North Jersey have been seeing sleeping baby deer in their yards and even in a roadway. Police in one town gave advice.

Police in Ridgewood posted late last week, "It's that time of the year where you may come across a fawn that's curled up and appears to be abandoned. We would like to remind everyone that this is normal behavior for deer and that the mother will return for her baby. Please do not approach the babies or try to get them to move from where mom left them."

New Jersey Fish & Wildlife has posted a similar message in May in past years, "White-tailed deer fawns are left alone during the day to keep them safe until they are strong enough to keep up with the adults. Their lack of scent and color pattern can help them remain undetected while the mother is away feeding. If you come across a fawn, the best thing you can do is to leave it undisturbed and leave the area."

There may be exceptions.

One commenter on the police post said that someone had recently shared a photo of a sleeping baby deer in the middle of a road. Residents had debated whether the deer should be moved.

"I've had one in driveway and one in my backyard," said another commenter.

Police said to call them if there are questions.

"As always, don't hesitate to give us a call with any questions or concerns.," the Ridgewood police said. Their non-emergency number is here.

In an emergency, call 911.

Read the post and comments here.