Wrong again. Since ARs were implemented and the herd was reduced , there has been no increase in the breeding rate or the number of embryos/doe compared to 2002.
BTW, I've been registered on the PGC site for years now and I couldn't get in yesterday either. No conspiracy, probably just some screw up with the website
No one had to register to access the AWRs prior to yesterday. But ,apparently enough people called and complained that the PGC dropped the requirement.
Steel, You probably have a very valid point about the mild winters. A few bad winters and recruitment will undoubtedly suffer. In the big picture, it's still pretty early in terms of the true long term effects because of factors other than hunting that vary from year to year or cycle to cycle
There is a big difference between the mean embryos /doe and the number of fawns recruited. Mild or severe winters would have little if any effect on the breeding rates of adult doe.
How much did the breeding rate have to increase in 2008 to raise the three year average by 5%?