I am not going to step in the dog/no dog battle - but I think the quality of deer in general has improved. My son and I were discussing this just the other day. When he was growing up and began deer hunting in the late 80's - any buck was a good buck. I shot one 8 pt in the 1980's - spikes were the norm. Now, we know 14 yr old kids who are passing 15 inch 8 pts. It is a different mindset nowadays. In the 80's and early 90's - we went deer hunting for whatever was legal. First legal deer was killed. At least in our situation, the 3 pt rule made a big difference. Of course, it made us start passing smaller bucks because they were not legal. After a few years of the 3 pt rule, we were killing as many 8 pts as we did spikes in the 80's. The herd grew in numbers, season length was extended - there was not that feeling that the first buck you saw was the only buck you would see that season. Hunting shows where hunters commonly passed multiple deer became common place. A different hunting mindset developed. Landowners developed better habitat for the deer.
There are still a few folks around that dog hunt. I don't do it anymore, but it can be an enjoyable hunt - more like a team sport than a solitary adventure. I have never owned a deer dog, but I have owned many labs and bird dogs and whenever they did something great, it made me proud. Dog hunters exhibit the same pride when it is THEIR dog that is leading pack. But, no doubt - it is a dying sport.