By Will Ryan

Trophy walleye hunters, you’ll want to take notes.

A 2009 study, published in the North American Journal of Fisheries Management, found that in lakes with yellow perch and no ciscoes, walleyes grew more quickly to sexual maturity—12 to 17 inches. But in lakes with ciscoes and no yellow perch, walleyes grew more frequently to trophy size—30 inches or more. These trophy walleyes ate bigger ciscoes—possibly up to 12 1⁄2 inches—but were more likely to have empty stomachs. In some fish, ciscoes accounted for as much as 55 percent of prey by weight, but only 18 percent by item. Consuming fewer but more substantial meals left the fish with more energy for growth.

By CJ Lotz

There’s a chance this cow elk near Morrison, Colo., is pregnant, so authorities don’t want to tranquilize her in case she’s carrying a calf. But locals say accidentally-decorated elk are a common sight in Colorado.

From 7News:
Colorado Parks and Wildlife is aware of an elk that has had a bird feeder around its neck, another has a tomato cage. In the past, 7NEWS has seen pictures of several elk with Christmas lights, a swing and even a barstool around their necks.

By Chad Love

Are you still freezing your cheeks off under untold metric tons of snow and would like nothing better than to grab a rifle and exact a little payback on the lying little subterranean rodent who told you that spring was coming early this year? Well too bad, you can't. At least not in Wisconsin, which prohibits the shooting of groundhogs (woodchucks). A recently-introduced bill, however, is trying to change that.

By CJ Lotz

After Oregon residents complained of cougar sightings near playgrounds, school bus stops, and under one woman’s van, the Oregon House approved a bill that could overturn a ban on hunting cougars with hound dogs.

From the Oregonian:
"House Bill 2624 would allow individual counties to opt out of [a] statewide ban on the use of dogs to hunt cougars if voters approve. "

Rep. Sherrie Sprenger (R) helped champion the bill. “Something is out of balance when...a cougar is under her minivan,” she said.