ORIGINAL: Cornelius08
See page 9 of pgc annual report:
http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/lib/pgc/reports/2007_wildlife/21001-06Z.pdf
Percent of adult does bred:
2001------92%
2002------91%
2003------92%
2004------89%
2005------87%
2006------85%
WOW!
Then we have embryos per doe!
2001------1.58
2002------1.64
2003------1.60
2004------1.53
2005------1.51
2006------1.53
Nuff said.
Almost but not quite nuff.........
As you know, those are the statewide ratesbut you have chosen to ignore the variables that helped contribute to that decline.
The rest of the story, as explained by RSB is the shift in the sampling locations emphasis from areas with traditionally higher breeding rates to a greater percentage of sample from areas with traditionally lower breeding rates.
No matter how much you yell, stomp, pout or pitch tantrums, orscream liar, the shift in sampling emphasis is relevant.