ORIGINAL: bluebird2
Here is what the PGC has to say about predation by yotes.
What effect do coyotes have on deer populations?
Response: Coyotes do kill deer, but they don't appear to be seriously impacting deer populations anywhere in the state. Studies in New England have shown that coyotes there are responsible for roughly 50 percent of known fawn losses. However, their research also revealed that more than three-quarters of all newborn deer survive. In Pennsylvania, our data also indicate that coyotes are not a major mortality factor in deer populations; they're no more significant than other mortality factors such as deer lost to highways, crop damage, dogs, starvation and poaching. All mortality factors -- excluding hunting --annually account for about 150,000 to 175,000 deer.
The PGC could offset the effects of predation by simply reducing the antlerless allocations, but since they want a smaller herd they don't really care about predation.
It is very much starting to look that way from the data,Or they have no clue about deer management. Not being a smart arse,But it is pointing that they want way lower than carrying capacity of the habitat by not taking predation into their equation.