Originally posted by js2397: I don't think it's possible to have a herd with the sex ratio as out of whack as 4:1. Let's say you finish last year with 40 does and 10 bucks and a 1 fawns per doe average with a 50/50 birth rate. You start the next season with 60 does, 20 button bucks, and 10 bucks, 2:1. Next year 90 does, 30 button bucks, and 20 bucks, 1.8:1. Next year 135 does, 45 button bucks, and 30 bucks 1.8:1. This is assuming you kill every buck every year and never kill a doe. Based on harvest data that's not happening, so most areas are really close to 2:1 even if specific properties hold deer at different rates due to property characteristics. The bucks will find the does during the breeding period and return to their home range.
I can't dispute that there are areas within the state that have skewed buck/doe ratios, but I've looked at the harvest data for years and if you add the percentages of antlered deer and male fawns together it comes up to roughly 50% of the total number of deer killed year in and year out. So if on a male/female basis, the deer are being killed on a one to one ratio, you would think that it would be tough to have widespread ratios that far out of whack.
