What you guys are missing is that an older buck age structure (ex: more bucks in older age classes) IS a sign of a healthier herd. It is also what persisted prior to european arrival, when the herds were healthier, and there was limited selective harvest. You may counter saying QDM is all about selective harvest, and you may be right, but its selects for a population that persisted prior to our arrival (1 to 1 sex ratio, balanced and older buck age structure). To answer todds question, native americans and natural predators kept the population in check in those days. And I guarentee you that the herd's buck age structure at that time did NOT consist of only immature deer.

PS: Did you know that a yearling buck's sperm are half as mobile and half as fertile as that of a mature buck. Those factors combine and mean that for a yearling to successfully sire the same number of offspring as a mature buck, he would have to breed 4 times as many does, or just breed them 4 times as much.