I think alt's goal was to get bigger trophy bucks in the state, and the only way of doing that is to let the smaller bucks (spikes, buttons, etc.) mature. Yeah, the deeer are gonna be smarter from season to season, spikes and amller bucks will learn from experience.
The majority of PA deer are killed within the first day-couple days of rifle because of all the weekend warriors, and if since the weather was not optimum on those days the guys who don't see that much of the outdoors might have shortened their days, went out late, etc. leading to a lower harvest.
Was this season rough on PA hunters? yes, i didn't see nearly the number of deer i usually do for the amount of time i hunted in all season archery/rifle/muzzleloader, and that seems to be the general agreement among local hunters, but I can also attest to the fact that I have NEVER seen so many wall hanger bucks taken in one season in my entire life, and my father who has hunted for many many more years than me agrees with me, and in fact there are still big ones out there floating around (had an 8-9 point at 15 yards in late muzzleoader)
The fact is in my opinion that alt is a great biologist who has done all he can to cater to all the hunters/whiners that are looking for monster bucks here in our home state and in doing so he may have alienated some other groups. These guys that are hunting for horns are the ones that either voiced themselves the best or (i am thinking this is the more viable reason) had the most money. Also remember the game commission is still a business, although it is a state run organization for the preservation game species and land, it still has to make money and revenue, and out of state hunters who might choose PA for a big buck in the future might drop some nice coin in our state instead of paying more to go to ohio or some midwest state.
Either way, i think Dr. Alt is doing the best he can to cater the PA sportsman, and from a scientific/biologic standpoint he is doing a danged good job at creating what he set out/was set out to do.