Might not have a whole lot to do with splitting the State into smaller units, but my take on the DWR is they can't have any long term success by shutting a LE unit down for 5 years, or by limiting general season areas to a 5 day hunt for a couple of years, and then turn right around and give the same amount of permits as before. If you need proof, take a look at the Vernon unit. Sure they killed some whopper deer out there the first year or two it opened back up, but what's it like today? There's probably a few good bucks left, but nothing like it had the potential of being.
If splitting the State into smaller units would help the deer herds, I'd be all for it, but my opinion is the only thing the DWR is concerned about is selling permits and putting $$$$ in their coffers. Hell, if the deer herds are in such poor shape, why not shut individual units down, or maybe even the whole State for a couple of years? The obviously recognize a problem because of the 5 day units, but when are most deer going to be killed any way, opening weekend. IMHO, if there's a serious enough problem to warrant a reduced time frame hunt, there's a serious enough reason to shut the whole thing down.