Same old story, George. When cougars are protected or hunting methods curtailed, the increase in numbers drives them into rural populated areas creating incidents with livestock, pets and man.
The state F & G agencies know this but bow to the emotional cries from enviro nutjobs and polititions and initiatives passed by city people. Of course some of those enviro nutjobs now work for those state agencies.
Lions are also going into city settings : not just Chicago...
In Boulder, the DOW has been doing the catch and release thing almost every week.