Wny Hunter,
I am a regular at Alleghany State Park and I own land just a few miles away from the park. I to have noticed a decline in the deer population in the park. I been talking to quite a few people on the subject from park rangers to fellow hunters and it appears the 2003-2004 winter which was extremely cold had the most impact. Compound that with deep snows which lasted late into the spring that year and they had a high winter kill mortality. The high doe take in the park the during 2003 season also had a significant factor. The park is a separate DMU by itself and as it appears now that DMU will not be issuing any doe permits this year. My land is about 4 miles from the park in DMU9R and it was hit just as hard but didn't have quite the loss as the park. In 9R there is a less than 1 in 3 chance of getting a doe permit for 2005.
http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/license/dmpchances.html