Thanks for the info!
I'm definitely not interested in poking holes in bears on a whim.
Within the last month there has been a bear in the backyard of someone right down the street from me and coyotes seem to be moving in droves lately.
We don't keep trash cans on the porch (but have had the trash cans in the driveway ransacked on more than one occasion.) but it just so happens the glass porch is adjacent to the kitchen, so food smells can't be helped.
With regards to the hunting thing, the property is setup like a firing range (narrow, long, wooded back lot, etc) and I suppose unless it was a drop shot, they'd end up in a neighbors yard pretty quickly.
In short, from the sounds of it, I want to get the pistol permit thing moving sooner than later.
Thanks again!