Most wild animals have their young in the springtime. During the spring and early summer, young animals often stray and appear to be abandoned, That’s when humans need to resist the urge to help.

Deer, birds, snakes and other wild animals are best left in the wild, and they should remain there.

The deer fawning season begins in mid-May, although the newborns may not be visible to the casual observer for several weeks because of excellent camouflage provided by their mottled coats and their mother’s care in hiding them from predators.

Does typically leave their fawns for hours at a time, returning only to nurse them. Fawns often are discovered lying quietly in tall grass or brushy areas. Well-meaning people sometimes pick up these fawns, thinking they have been abandoned and need help. This, however, rarely is the case, and the best policy is to leave them alone.

A fawn should be picked up only if it is covered with fire ants or is seriously injured. These fawns need assistance and should be taken to a wildlife rehabilitator immediately.

If it is determined that a wild animal is sick or injured, call the TPWD wildlife information line at (512) 389-4504 during business hours for a referral to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. After-hours callers can get the names of rehabilitators from TPWD’s dispatch line at (512) 389-4848 or by accessing the department’s Web site.

In many instances, fawns that have been picked up by uninformed persons die, as they are not fed properly. Even if they do survive to adulthood, mature deer -- especially bucks -- can be very dangerous.

Another wild animal I would leave alone is the alligator. Central Texas residents usually should not have to worry about this, except if they happen to be in South or Southeast Texas.

I recently heard that some fishermen spotted alligators in the Lampasas River above Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir. I do not know if the sighting was confirmed or not, but several years ago a fisherman friend showed me a photo he took of an alligator swimming in Stillhouse Reservoir. You never can tell where you might see one of these reptiles.

The American alligator was once an endangered species. Now, however, alligators are common in rivers, creeks, sloughs and lakes in East and South Texas. With the population of the state increasing, there has been an increase in encounters between people and alligators.

A recent TPWD press release stated the TPWD Law Enforcement regional communications center in La Porte received over 1,100 phone calls in 2009 about alligators. Most calls did not involve true problem gators. Alligators are not generally aggressive, and if left alone they will leave you alone.

Alligator experts at Murphree Wildlife Management Area, however, report that at least 80 nuisance alligators were relocated from 17 southeast Texas counties in 2009, mostly from housing subdivisions adjacent to alligator natural habitat.

The legal definition of a nuisance gator is “an alligator that is killing livestock or pets or a threat to human health or safety,” or an alligator that is at least four feet long and has lost its fear of humans and exhibits aggressive behavior.

It appears some problems can be attributed to feeding alligators. It is a Class C misdemeanor with a fine of up to $500 for feeding a gator.

No fatalities have been documented due to alligators in Texas. In the past two decades, 21 incidents involving injuries due to alligators have been reported statewide, although none life threatening.

Information about alligators, public safety tips, research reports and basic natural history is available on the TPWD Web site.

*** In last Tuesday’s edition was a photo I took of an algerita bush full of red berries. Algerita also is called agrarita, agrito or chaparral berry. It is common on rangelands in Central Texas.

In the spring, the shrub has small yellow flowers that grow into red berries in May. The fruit is edible and tastes very good, in my opinion.

Many native Texans say the red berries make good jelly, but picking them can be difficult due to the sharp-pointed leaves on the plant.

One way to collect the berries is to place an upside down umbrella or tarp under the limbs of the plant and then gently thrash the limbs with a stick.

I found a recipe for the jelly, and it follows.

Clean the berries in a pot with sufficient water to cover, and cook until the berries begin to pop. Strain the juice with a strainer or cheesecloth. The juice can be stored in the refrigerator or frozen until ready to use.

To make the jelly, combine 6 1/2 cups of juice with one package of SureJell in a large pot. Bring to a hard boil, then add 7 cups of sugar. Let come to a boil again for only one minute.

Remove from the heat, and fill clean jelly jars. Place jar lids and rings that have been heated in water on each jar, and invert the jars for about five minutes. Turn jars right side up and within a few minutes, each jar should seal. If the jars do not seal, the jelly should be stored in the refrigerator.

This week I am going to gather some of the berries and attempt to make a batch of jelly. I will report on my success next week.

Former Soil Conservation Service employee and longtime writer Mat Taylor offers his outdoors column for Dispatch Record readers. He can be contacted at (254) 518- 2262 or via e-mail at mntaylor@wildblue.net.