A DFG warden confided in me a few years ago that the mountain lion population has greatly increased in California and they have totally lost their fear of man due to no one shooting at them anymore. I have seen a few and find their tracks, some in my front yard, all the time.
Years ago the DFG had a herd of Big Horn sheep in the San Gabriel Mountains of ~ 450 animals. Their program was so successful that they were capturing an replanting rams and ewes onto areas that had lost their sheep populations. Single-handedly this herd was reestablishing Big horn sheep in California.
With the California law that took Mountain Lion Management out of the DFGs hands, they had to stand by and watch their prize herd get decimated over a few years time by Mountain Lions. Last I heard that sheep herd no longer exists.
All a result in Liberal meddling.....typical throughout California.....