MN and WI both have a multitude of issues in the northern halves of the state.
Yeah, wolves, bears, and some improper management are involved. But rarely do I see mentioned the lack of cutting on National Forest lands, and, in my mind, it's the biggest of the enchiladas.
The young growth that all wildlife needs to flourish is either in very small pockets or it simply doesn't exist at all.
Extreme winters have not helped the cause of late either.
Scott, the forest areas around our camp are being harvested full swing, have been regularly for quite some time now. I honestly get a little nervous that soon nothing will be left lol. Hopefully this helps our deer rebound from the bovine TB management disaster we had in our area.
As far as this topic and some of the comments, I'm not for a more detailed management plan. We are hunters, the king allows us to take a deer from his kingdom in trade for money paid to the king. That's enough goddam management for me. When you drill down deeper with fine print conditions on how to hunt the kings deer, the king can shuvhisdeeruphisass. It's a liberal move and I'm sure liberal hunters would love it.
"this state sucks, there are no big horns, I need the big horns and it's the states fault for not making everybody pass on the small bucks"
I say F-you, go hunt somewhere else if you think it's someone else's fault that you can't find a big buck. If you are to that point where you want the state to throw conditions on all of your fellow public land deer hunters so that you might be able to get a better deer more easily, I'd really rather you just get your checkbook out and buy yourself a high fence hunt. If I choose to pass on a small buck, that's fine. My decision. But the thought that my kids or other young hunters can't shoot a spike or a basket because some QDM Nazis got there way on a state level? F that, I'll go to war againstthatshit.
We have big bucks, and you don't have to own a bunch of land to get them. You do have to put some work into your hunting efforts though (or many times people just get stupid lucky with very little effort). That's the way it's always been and that's the way it should be.
I think hunting and fishing regulations should move forward with the rule that for every single new regulation, two old regulations need to go away.
Some guys might find it hard to understand, but big horns are not a priority for all hunters. Detailed management efforts to improve the "quality" of the deer because some hunters figure all deer should look like high fence freaks, nope, F that. No thanks.
