The Big Takeaway (TL;DR)
When it comes to surviving coyote predation, a fawn’s ability to see an oncoming predator is significantly more important than how thick the bedding cover is. Surviving fawns consistently select bedsites that offer a wider, unobstructed field of view (horizontal visibility), allowing them to spot threats early and either freeze or flee.
What the Study Found
- Objective: Researchers tracked 261 GPS-collared fawns and directly investigated coyote predation sites to compare the exact vegetation characteristics of “mortality bedsites” against bedsites where fawns successfully survived.
- Key Discovery: For every 1% increase in a bedsite’s horizontal visibility, a fawn’s odds of being killed by a coyote decreased by 5%. Surprisingly, there was no statistical difference in total vegetation height or fawn concealment between mortality sites and survival sites—meaning thick cover alone does not stop predation if the fawn is visually blind to its surroundings.
- Management Impact: Landowners should avoid managing for single-structure, choked-out brush blocks that restrict sightlines. Instead, focus on creating a diverse, patchy habitat mosaic (grasslands, open forest understories, and wetlands) that provides adequate ground cover to hide a bedded fawn while maintaining wide visibility lanes so they can detect approaching threats.
Location of Study
- South-Central Minnesota, USA
Source
- Obermoller, T. R., Michel, S. E., & Bump, J. K. (2026) | The Journal of Wildlife Management
- 👉 Click Here to Read the Peer-Reviewed Study