Outdoors Reporter

Mark Heinz

Mark Heinz covers the outdoors and wildlife for Cowboy State Daily.

He previously worked or freelanced for numerous newspapers and magazines across Wyoming, Idaho and Montana, covering all manner of news and feature stories. He has a strong background in topics related to wildlife, hunting, and wildlands conservation. He's written extensively since the 1990s about the controversies surrounding wolves, grizzly bears and mustangs.

He also enjoys people-centric stories with quirky edge of humor and has written several such pieces for Cowboy State Daily.

Mark lives in Laramie with his wife, Kendy, and the youngest of their five children.

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Latest from Mark Heinz

Ticks may be tiny, but tens of thousands of them at a time can be big trouble for Wyoming moose. The blood-sucking parasites can even mean a miserable death for moose.

As Tough As Moose Are, Tens Of Thousands Of Ticks Can Bring Them Down

Given their massive size and cantankerous attitudes, Wyoming’s moose might seem practically indestructible, but if enough ticks pile on to a moose, they can kill it -- and they do.

Mark HeinzJune 01, 2025

Spirit is the sole cub born to Grizzly 399 in 2023.

Why It Probably Doesn't Make Any Sense To Keep Searching For Grizzly 399's Cub, Spirit

Since Wyoming’s most famous bear, Grizzly 399, was killed by a car last fall, there hasn't been a verified sighting of her cub, Spirit. Famed wildlife photographer Tom Mangelsen, who named the cub, says it would probably take genetic testing to positively identify the bear.

Mark HeinzMay 31, 2025

This young black bear was the first visitor to the Burgess Junction Visitor Center in the Bighorn mountains early Wednesday.

Bear Stops By Burgess Junction Visitor Center, Barely Misses Busload Of Tourists

A young black bear decided to take a stroll right up to the Burgess Junction Visitor Center in the Bighorn mountains early Wednesday. The bear missed a busload of tourists by about 20 minutes.

Mark HeinzMay 31, 2025

One of 10 wolves reintroduced to northern Colorado in December 2023.

Colorado Wolves Caught For Killing Livestock Let Go, Blamed For Killing Cows Again

Colorado’s Copper Creek wolf pack was captured and put in captivity last year for killing livestock. After being released, they’re now blamed for killing cows again.

Mark HeinzMay 30, 2025

Mustangs from the Salt Wells Creek herd are among nearly 3,000 horses in central Wyoming scheduled to be rounded up by the Bureau of Land Management, starting July 15 at the earliest.

BLM Proceeds With Roundup Of Rare Curly-Haired Horses Despite Pending Court Case

Despite a lawsuit challenging the capture of wild mustangs in central Wyoming still pending in federal court, the Bureau of Land Management has decided to proceed with the roundup of nearly 3,000 horses.

Mark HeinzMay 29, 2025

Grizzly bears were unfazed by an earthquake that struck the Hayden Valley area of Yellowstone National Park Monday evening. (Courtesy Wild Love Images/Julie Argyle)

Quake In Yellowstone Spooks Humans, But Bears Don’t Care

A wildlife photographer definitely felt an earthquake in the Hayden Valley area of Yellowstone on Monday evening but the bears she was filming? Couldn't care less.

Mark HeinzMay 29, 2025

Wyoming’s Miracle Mile Is Prized For Trout, But Not So Much The Kokanee Salmon

The Miracle Mile on the North Platte River in central Wyoming is prized as a trout fishery. Spawning kokanee salmon can also be caught there, although they might taste awful if caught during fall spawning runs.

Mark HeinzMay 28, 2025

While some retired and current National Park Service officials claim federal cuts will cause chaos in the parks this summer. Others, including, the person who used to oversee the National Park Service, says it’s hyperbole and the parks will be just fine.

Crisis Or Hyperbole? How National Parks Will Fare This Summer

Some retired and current National Park Service officials claim federal cuts will cause chaos in the parks this summer. Others, including the person who used to oversee the National Park Service, says it’s hyperbole and the parks will be just fine.

Mark HeinzMay 28, 2025

Organizer Jonas Black and other riders in Hogs for Hope roll into Daniel, Wyoming, on May 26, 2024. The rally had planned to stop at the Green River Bar, but it had been blocked by locals with trucks and horse trailers, left.

Motorcycle Rally Against Wolf Torture Plans Return To Daniel, Wyoming

Hogs for Hope, a motorcycle rally in response to the torture and killing of a wolf in Daniel, plans a return to the western Wyoming town June 14. The event organizer says he won’t stop the rallies until Wyoming reforms its wolf management policy.

Mark HeinzMay 26, 2025

Pronghorn use a wildlife underpass near La Barge, Wyoming.

Group Aims To Raise $500 Million To Get Wildlife Crossing Projects Rolling Again

With federal money for wildlife crossings running dry and on hold, the Wildlife Crossing Fund aims to raise $500 million in private donations. The goal is to get wildlife crossing projects rolling again across Wyoming and other states.

Mark HeinzMay 24, 2025

Grizzly bears in Montana continue to reclaim their territory to the east, pushing into prairie country.

Grizzly Shot, Killed After Charging Mushroom Pickers Near Montana Prairie Town

Two Montana men shot and killed a grizzly that charged them while they were picking mushrooms late Wednesday near the town of Choteau. That’s in prairie country where grizzlies have recently become more common.

Mark HeinzMay 24, 2025

Outdoorsman Olin Machen said he was about a half mile into the Shoshone National Forest near Cody when a female and grizzly and two cubs walked right up to his Jeep, apparently without a care.

Grizzlies Walk Right Up To Cody Man’s Jeep, Show They Don’t Fear Humans

A man headed to look for black bears near Cody said three grizzlies walked right up to his bright lime-green Jeep. He said it’s more evidence that grizzlies don’t fear humans in that area.

Mark HeinzMay 23, 2025

Other Authors

Though firearms suppressors are used by Wyoming hunters and targets shooters, to protect against hearing loss.

Wyoming Shooters Closer To Being Able To Buy Suppressors Over-The-Counter

Wyomingites might soon be able to buy firearms suppressors over-the-counter. A bill lifting restrictions on them passed the U.S. House on Wednesday.

Mark HeinzMay 22, 2025

Fred Eshelman of North Carolina owns Iron Bar Holdings LLC, which owns land in Wyoming.

Wyoming Corner-Crossing Case Would Set National Law If Supreme Court Hears It

Wyoming’s noted “corner-crossing” case could end up before the U.S. Supreme Court. If it does, it would settle once and for all whether hopping corners between private and public land parcels is legal.

Mark HeinzMay 22, 2025

Bryan Englebert, an assistant aquatic manager with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, holds a giant lake trout from Flaming Gorge Reservoir. There is concern that lake trout are devouring too many of the reservoirs prized kokanee salmon.

Flaming Gorge Lake Trout Still Devouring Kokanee Salmon Despite No Limits, Marina Owner Says

A marina owner at Flaming Gorge told Cowboy State Daily on Wednesday that lake trout are gobbling too many prized kokanee salmon. He said the catch limits on lake trout aren’t enough and should be commercially netted.

Mark HeinzMay 22, 2025

Obsidian is a highly-visible and popular mamma grizzly in Yellowstone National Park. She’s pictured here with three large cubs.

Why So Many Grizzly Bears This Year On Social Media?

Photos of Wyoming grizzlies are blowing up all over social media. While that’s partly because there are more bears, it’s also because there are more people taking pictures of them, wildlife photographers say.

Mark HeinzMay 21, 2025

Three wolf pups are seen playing in this screenshot from video, taken in August 2024 in the Colorado mountains. At one point, the video pans to show two Jack Russel terries that seem alert, but not afraid, as they watch from the cab of a pickup. Now Colorado has four pairs of wolves though to be denning.

With Four New Denning Pairs Of Wolves, Colorado Could Have Wolf Pup Boom

With four pairs of wolves thought to be denning together in Colorado, that state is expecting a wolf pup boom. That could lead to numerous established wolf packs.

Mark HeinzMay 20, 2025

Grizzlies Likely To Be Delisted Once Nesvik Heads FWS, Former Federal Official Says

Former Wyoming Game and Fish Director Brian Nesvik needs to take charge of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) before grizzlies can be delisted, says a former high-ranking federal official who oversaw the agency.

Mark HeinzMay 20, 2025

his momma bear was the first grizzly to appear with a new cub in the Lamar Valley in Yellowstone National Park this spring. On Monday, she led her cub across a foot bridge over Soda Butte Creek and then fended off a huge wolf that was trying to devour the cub.

Momma Grizzly Doesn’t Mess Around When Wolf Tries To Snatch Her Tiny Cub

The first grizzly bear to appear this spring with a new cub in Yellowstone National Park’s Lamar Valley wasn’t messing around when she fended off a huge wolf trying to snatch her tiny cub.

Mark HeinzMay 19, 2025

Game And Fish Captures, Relocates Grizzly That Killed Cattle Near Cody

Wyoming Game and Fish announced Monday that a male grizzly that was killing cattle has been captured near Cody and relocated. Grizzlies attacking cattle is the most common type of grizzly-human conflict in northwest Wyoming.

Mark HeinzMay 19, 2025

Replacing roughly 24 miles of old woven wire fence with wildlife-friendly fence on a ranch in Sweetwater County has saved countless antelope, deer and elk.

Wyoming Rancher Hopes Fence Will Prevent Another ‘Absolute Carnage’ Of Antelope

It's hoped that upgraded fencing on a family ranch in Sweetwater County will save countless antelope, deer and elk. Old woven-wire fence was choking off wildlife migration routes, which contributed to “absolute carnage” during winter 2022-23.

Mark HeinzMay 19, 2025