Most importantly, after the first year of these changes, no harm appears to have been done. In fact, harvested buck age structure climbed to an all-time high, and harvest of yearling bucks fell to a decade low. Doe harvests continue to be adequate.

Seems to me comparing harvest age structure from the same year the changes were implemented is a mute point.

The lower yearling harvest does show that more yearling survived which should help next year. The higher number of older bucks killed could mean that more is in the herd or could mean a higher percentage of what was there got killed. If the latter is the case then next year could see a spike in yearlings killed due to less older bucks available. Not saying that is the case just a possibility.

It will take a few years of the same regulations to show what impact it really has on age structure. Not sure how anyone can read much into the data coming from a single year when so much can affect harvest like food supply and weather just to name two.