"You might be right, They protect the 1.5 year olds, but the 7 month olds are fair game"

The biggest "muffler" of "more and bigger bucks" would be the fact so many fewer are born. Had hr been reasonable and less severe in many areas, many more buttonbuck would be born in the first place to be saved a year later. The answer isnt for all hunters to refrain from shooting all bb. Then theyd simply take out even more does instead ending in even smaller herd size. Not to mention the buttonbuck harvest is never gonna go much lower than it already is percentagewise. Its been fairly static for quite a few years not changing much in the percentage of the harvest that bb harvest makes up. Doesnt appear hunters actions have changed much in that regard.

Thats why I personally dont shoot antlerless... bb or doe. Enough of others more than pick up the slack.