As a northern MN land owner for decades there is no doubt wolves affect deer populations - and to suggest otherwise makes no biological sense. We have seen ebbs and flows of wolves, deer and rabbit populations over the years. As one would expect, when the deer numbers move up, so do the wolves, and when deer are down, so are wolves. Rabbits seem to be a back up for the wolves for a while when deer numbers are down. We have years with no deer and years with no wolves. I am not screaming about it. I find tree stand hunting more boring than watching golf on TV so haven't sought a MN deer tag in decades.
Certainly don't care one way or the other about a wolf hunting season. Don't like ESA protection for them in a place where some years I see more of them than I see deer or grouse, and if they get brave around our cabin & the dogs, I would prefer to have options to handle that, but have nothing against them on prinicple. In fact, had two standing on our gravel road watching the wife head off for a jog just this weekend - they are pretty cool as long as they retain a fear of people and our places. It was the mountain lion we had hanging around for a few years I would have preferred to do without - I don't trust those cats.