"I don't think it has to do much to do with them wising up although Idon't doubt what you say."

Has a ton to do with wising up. Annually a large percentage of the population is taken incidentally by deer hunters groundhog hunters and others. Even given that fact adults had a 80+% survival rate. Telemetry studies showed how they absolutely avoided dangerous areas and areas around houses, even abandoned farm houses and far more time in thethickest and most inaccessable areaswhich wasnt the case with younger less experienced yotes. Also, all that Ive studied on the topic and all that Ive seen in my years hunting them, they are one VERY intelligent animal by wildlife standards.

"I think they're just extremely susceptible to dieases such as mange and I believe distemper."

Absolutely. Definate factors.

"I'm out and about quite a bit and I've seen less sign the last few years,even in the areas that have more deer.They certainly take deer from time to time but their impact isn't as high as some would like you to believe."

I agree. I have not found a coyote killed deer. I believe them harder on the fawns, but occassionally in winter believe they cantake adult if necessary. They and bobcat are absoluteMURDER on turkey flocks. Both areabsolute pros at snatching turkey. In one area of 2A Id seen a HUGE decrease in turkeynumberscoinciding with large increase in both yotes and bcats. Found turkey kills from both as well on a few different occassions.

Not real sure on the possibilty of the den site thing. Havent personally found any den sites that were active and none that had signs of large bones etc. I have examined active fox dens and do know that they often bring back more than simply what they regurgitate.