A fawn is a young deer, typically less than a year old. Fawns are characterized by their small size, distinctive spotted coats, and innocence, often appearing with their mothers in the spring or early summer. The spots on a fawn's coat help provide camouflage in the forest or grasslands, making it harder for predators to spot them. Fawns are typically dependent on their mothers for nourishment and protection during their first few months of life.

During the early stages of life, fawns are particularly vulnerable, as they are not yet strong enough to outrun predators like coyotes, wolves, or large carnivores. For this reason, the mother often leaves the fawn hidden in dense vegetation while she forages for food, returning periodically to nurse it. The fawn's ability to remain still and quiet helps reduce the risk of detection by predators.

Hunters are usually prohibited from hunting fawns due to their young age and dependency on their mothers. In many hunting regulations, there are specific rules regarding the legal age of deer that can be harvested, often requiring that only adult deer be taken. Nonetheless, the term "fawn" is also used in the context of wildlife management and conservation, where the health and survival of young deer are closely monitored to ensure sustainable populations of deer species.