I know there are studies that lean both ways, but I'll stick with it being a myth! And besides, we're not really talking "book" deer here! Just "good" racks, and at times, even high scorer's!
Basically, older equals better! Plus, we're talking mostly about late-born bucks, not 1 1/2 year olds! I don't think that you can really judge a cull before 2 1/2. You'll never know what he could be, if he's dead at 1 1/2!
Along the same lines, I've read were Texas is adding about a dozen more counties to the 13" and forked horn rules, next season! Again, its the "let 'em go, and let 'em grow," theory.