The bear are the major predators IMHO. I know of two farms up north (Sawyer Co) that have had 30+ bears taken per year the last few years. These bears were captured using culvert traps and moved somewhere. They were doing enough damage to the corn to pose a major problem yet some seem to think they don't have a major impact on fawn mortality rates. I know a few hound guys who don't want the bear numbers reduced but something has to give and without the ability to limit wolves and bobcat the only predator we can manage is bear.

Until something is done about the wolf population nothing else matters.

The bear are the major predators IMHO. I know of two farms up north (Sawyer Co) that have had 30+ bears taken per year the last few years. These bears were captured using culvert traps and moved somewhere. They were doing enough damage to the corn to pose a major problem yet some seem to think they don't have a major impact on fawn mortality rates. I know a few hound guys who don't want the bear numbers reduced but something has to give and without the ability to limit wolves and bobcat the only predator we can manage is bear.

Those farmers need to invest in a backhoe and bullets.

How many of those does not harvested will become pregnent if bucks are still harvested while populations are low? High predator numbers are an issue when the prey numbers are at or below critical mass, but improving habitat is critical to rebuilding a population. Habitat is a critical aspect. The central and southern farm zones have had extremely liberal anterless harvest opportunities and still have numbers that exced desired levels.
Many hunters have not gone north for some years now and if we impose further limitations on harvest there will be more likely to not come back to the north. It is easy to pick on wolves as they are easy targets. We seem to forget that we have essentially let our bear population grow about 50% higher than pre 2000 goals and numbers. We are also wanting to increase bobcat numbers so we can harvest more and coyotes are learning to live with wolves. We detest wolves but bear and bobcats are desired species, especially bear and the economic value they bring to the norhthwoods. We also make the remaining deer easier targets by letting vast wooded areas mature and not have browse and cover and put in small food plots which bring in the remaining deer but also the predators know where they are living as well.

Bryce

Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota could have wolves under state control if they would follow the lead of Montana and Idaho.

The current language doesn't exempt youth or disabled hunters from the restriction either. Talk about local economic "greed" you can bet there will be plenty of folks staying home or not hunting in the northern region if this passes. What will that do for local businesses, especially after a year with little or no income from ice fisherman and snowmobilers. Kinda sounds similar to COVID shutdowns of businesses...

The DNR never put a gun to a hunter's head and made them harvest an antlerless deer. If folks don't want antlerless deer killed, it's as easy as not pulling the trigger.