The fact that there are deer still unaccounted for does make the published results suspect. You are also correct that a does home range isnt that big.

My camp is on the southwesterncorner of the ANF. The thing that keeps me wondering about that area is that I've seen deer numbers decliningonly relatively recently but hunter pressure began declining a long time ago and has dropped off way further, proportionately,than our deer sightings. And forget about the longer season because hunters are virtually nonexistent after the first day of rifle season in any of the ANF we hunt. Early archery and muzzy season? Just come to the ANF if you want to be alone.

There's no one answer but I think the yotes are hitting way harder than most of us realized and the habitat destruction has also had a devastating effect. I really believe that the longer doe season and increased tag allotments come in a distant third asa contributing factor.

JMHO