I believe it is disingenuous to equate harvest statistics with actual population numbers. There are a multitude of factors to consider. The elephant in the room that I see is the legal antler size and configuration. There are a lot of nice bulls out there. But. unless you have the time to study a bull with a spotting scope and a tape measure, you best not take the shot. Because of these antler restrictions I'm sure there are scores of dead bulls out there that didn't get harvested for fear of a ticket and confiscated meat.Those bulls don't make the harvest stats. Among other factors there is always the obvious. Hunting is hunting. It's not a stretch to think that you may go home empty handed. 

Lift the antler restrictions and I would bet my bottom dollar that harvest statistics will skyrocket.