On a similar note, someone here once posted that they shot a doe in a herd and the others tried to nose it up. The speculation was that they shot the lead doe and the others just weren't sure what to do.

I think theres a hierarchy...so the "alpha" doe eats first/establishes dominance on a particular area...and when you shoot her the next in line takes her place...same with bucks. I shot a mature old 8pt in MD and that same week I saw another younger 8point creeping in and moving in on the territory of the buck I shot. A few days later I got a nice pic of the new 8point but never did see him.