I'm moving to the state in a couple weeks, so I'm only just reading about the conditions out there. I'm very excited about the change of scenery, and obviously gaining a little trepidation about the hunting climate now. I've never been a preadator hunter, and have only limited time in the woods since I've gotten out of college about ten years ago. But hearing about the different strikes against the deer and elk population, perhaps it would be part of my responsiblity to consider the cougar hunting at least? Deer is a no-brainer for me, and I'd like to justify the elk hunting by finding freezer space once I get settled. Other than just predation control - is cougar meat worth the hassle? And how much risk do bears pose to these population numbers?