Big news from Gold Country Wildlife Rescue: our brand-new fawn enclosure is up and running, and it’s already full of life!
As part of our Project 1991: Return of the Fawns campaign, and thanks to amazing community support, we’ve been building specialized, large-scale enclosures so that, for the first time in over a decade, we can rehabilitate fawns from their very first bottle all the way to release. GCWR was founded around fawn rescue and rehabilitation back in 1991, and this project brings that mission full circle.
Settling Into Their New Home
Within days of arriving, the fawns were already exploring every corner of their new space, showing off their wild instincts, and finding a blackberry bush they happily munched through.
Built to Keep Them Wild
We’re excited to share that the enclosure is about 80% complete. All fencing, visual barriers, and hot wire are fully in place along the top and bottom, keeping our 2026 fawn herd safe and secure in their new home.
The space is also built specifically to keep these fawns wild: blind feeders ensure they don’t learn to associate people with food, and visual barriers, along with an occasional drone check, let us monitor their health and progress from a distance, without disturbing them unless absolutely necessary.
More Fawns, Every Week
This is just the beginning. More fawns continue arriving through our doors every week as the season goes on.
The remaining work on the enclosure (landscaping, irrigation for new trees, permanent feeders, viewing platforms, and storage) will be completed once this herd is older, released, and we can finish the space without disturbing any fawns. That release is planned for late fall.
Closing the Gap
To get there, we’re about $14,500 away from our goal, and thanks to matching funds, your donation goes twice as far right now.
Thank you to everyone who has helped make this project possible so far, and to everyone who continues to support this important work for Northern California’s fawns.
A Quick Note on Fawn Season
Before you assume a fawn needs help, take a look at (and consider saving or printing) the graphic below. It walks through how to know when a fawn is likely fine on its own, and when it truly needs intervention. Not being a “fawn-napper” is one of the best ways you can help fawns this season.
