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.
Latest from Mark Heinz
She Killed A Feral Pig With A Knife; Now Pinedale Woman Wants To Bag A Wyoming Bear
After bowhunting red stag in Chile and killing a pig with a knife in New Zealand, Samantha Strable of Pinedale said her next goal is bagging a Wyoming black bear.
Mark Heinz6 min read
As Pistol Brace Ban Begins, Wyoming Gun Owners Urged To Lawyer Up
Court Injunctions against federal restrictions on pistol braces that went into effect Thursday apply only to certain people. Everybody else should get a lawyer, a Wyoming Second Amendment rights activist says.
Mark Heinz3 min read
As Herds Reel From Winterkill, Drought And Even Brain Worms, Neighboring States Join Wyoming In Slashing Hunting Tags
Wyoming isn’t the only state that suffered heavy wildlife winterkill and has cut hunting tags. Neighboring states are doing it too, also citing drought and brain worms.
Mark Heinz5 min read
Still Too Early To Know If Dismissal Of Wyoming ‘Corner-Crossing’ Lawsuit A Victory For Public Land Access
Some Wyomingites with a stake in the outcome of the Elk Mountain “corner-crossing” lawsuit are lukewarm to its outcome in the hunters’ favor, saying the issue is still likely to drag on in the courts.
Mark Heinz6 min read
Blue-Green Algae Suspected Of Killing Highly Trained Field Dogs In Utah Has Also Been In Wyoming
Six trained retrievers that died from suspected blue-green algae poisoning in Utah were far more than beloved pets. Wyoming dog owners also on alert.
Mark Heinz4 min read
Dismissal Likely Not The End For ‘Corner-Crossing’ Case, As Appeals Can Drag On
A U.S. District Court judge’s ruling in favor of four hunters in a Wyoming “corner-crossing” case of alleged trespassing in Carbon County is likely to be appealed and could drag on, says a legal expert.
Mark Heinz4 min read
Despite Momentum To Delist Grizzlies In Wyoming, Opponents Say It Would Be A Disaster For The Bears
Efforts are gaining steam to delist grizzly bears from endangered species protection in Wyoming and neighboring states, but there are still those in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho who oppose the idea.
Mark Heinz6 min read
Wyoming Mountaineer Doesn’t Regret Abandoning Everest As Death Toll Soared
Casper's Joe McGinley said his decision to leave Everest without summiting was the right decision as crowds and accidents have made this one of the deadliest seasons on record. His goal of climbing the highest peak on all 7 continents has not been deterred, he said.
Mark Heinz6 min read
Now There's A Movement To Ban Campfires
Believe it not, there's a growing movement among some outdoors-people to ban campfires. They say campfires cause too many wildfires, prompt folks to take too much dead wood from the forests and cause cancer.
Mark Heinz4 min read
Game And Fish Kills Black Bear In Sheridan After Its Second Food Raid Through Town
Wyoming Game and Fish agents killed a 6-year-old female black bear in Sheridan on Friday morning. The bear had been captured and removed from Sheridan once before.
Mark Heinz3 min read
Don’t Worry, Procrastinators, Wyoming State Parks Still Have Memorial Day Campsites Available
As camping season kicks off over Memorial Day Weekend, Wyoming’s state parks should be busy, but not overrun — and it's not too late to get a spot.
Mark Heinz3 min read
In Wake Of Horrible Winterkill And Antelope Pneumonia Outbreak, Even More Wyoming Hunting Tags Cut
After previously cutting about 10,000 antelope tags, the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission has opted to cut more, even as the hunting license application deadline looms. Some Wyoming outdoorsmen said they support the move.
Mark Heinz3 min read
Federal Court Ruling Saves Up To 72 Wyoming Grizzlies From Death
As many as 72 bears in the Upper Green River region near Pinedale are safe — for now. A federal court ruled Thursday that U.S. Fish And Wildlife Service violated federal law when it authorized killing the bears to protect grazing leases.
Mark Heinz2 min read
Pilot Who Used Helicopter To Access Elk Hunting Might Testify About Harassment In ‘Corner Crossing’ Civil Trial
A Colorado pilot claims he was confronted by the owners of the Iron Bar Ranch after he used a helicopter to fly over the property to hunt on adjacent public land. He might be called as a defense witness in the “corner crossing” lawsuit against four hunters.
Mark Heinz5 min read
Plan To Delist Grizzlies In Wyoming, Elsewhere Still On Track As Bears Continue To Spark Political Debate
Despite ongoing political controversy and legal action, a plan to delist grizzly bears from endangered species protection in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho should still be on track, one former top Interior official said.
Mark Heinz4 min read
Wyoming’s Rangelands Could Become A Lightning-Fueled Tinderbox This Fire Season, Firefighters Say
Just how bad the fire season could get across Wyoming’s vast rangelands this summer and fall isn’t clear. It all depends on the volatile mix of dry grass and lightning, say state wildfire experts.
Mark Heinz5 min read
Wyoming Gun Owners Not Covered By Injunction Halting Pistol Brace Restrictions
An injunction in Texas on the restriction of pistol braces for certain AR-15s and other popular firearms doesn’t cover Wyoming gun owners.
Mark Heinz3 min read
Colorado River Deal Helps — For Now — But Anything Past 2026 Still Uncertain
A deal struck between California, Arizona and Nevada to trim their use of Colorado River water over the next three years is a good “short-term” move, but longer-term solutions may remain evasive.
Mark Heinz4 min read
Grizzly 399’s Cub Not Likely To Get A Number Like Its Famous Mom; Public Undecided On A Name
Only bears collared for research get numbers, which means Grizzly 399’s cub may not be assigned a number like its mother. That will leave naming the cub up to the public, which still seems undecided.
Mark Heinz4 min read
With Raging Wildfires Already Occurring In Canada, Is Wyoming Heading For Monster Fire Season?
Despite an early start to the wildfire season in Canada, Wyoming may be spared from a bad fire season due to shifts to an El Niño weather pattern
Mark Heinz4 min read
Facing Off Against Wyoming’s Dreaded ‘Robo Bear’ Is Trickier Than You Might Think
Cowboy State Daily outdoors reporter Mark Heinz and columnist Bill Sniffin survived grizzly attacks this weekend — sort of. They faced off against Wyoming’s dreaded robotic grizzly bear.
Mark Heinz7 min read