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
Wyoming Crow Hunters Can Blast All They Want, But Nobody Eats The Birds
Mention of bird hunting might conjure up images of hunters and dogs pounding the brush in hopes of kicking up pheasants. But crow hunting is a thing in Wyoming too. No license is required, and there’s no bag limit. Hunters can just blast away.
Mark HeinzMarch 01, 2026
Why Scientists Doped Up Mountain Lions And Climbed Down Trees With Them In Yellowstone
Faced with the quandary of how to get mountain lions out of trees for scientific analysis, researchers dosed them with ketamine, then climbed up to place harnesses on the still-conscious cats. “It’s definitely a little wild," one of the scientists said.
Mark HeinzFebruary 28, 2026
Senate Panel Backs Bills Letting 18-Year-Olds Carry Guns On UW Campus
A Wyoming Senate committee forwarded a trio of gun bills Friday, including one that would allow freshmen to carry concealed weapons on campus at the University of Wyoming while upperclassmen would no longer need permits.
Mark HeinzFebruary 27, 2026
Mobs Of Elk Leave National Elk Refuge Near Jackson With ‘False Sense Of Early Spring'
With what locals say is an unprecedentedly mild winter, elk are bailing out of the National Elk Refuge near Jackson, apparently thinking it's spring already. "Because the snowpack is so low, there is little reason to be there," said one photographer.
Mark HeinzFebruary 27, 2026
Hunters, Ranchers Say Corner Crossing Bill Isn’t Ready As It Heads To Wyoming Senate
A corner-crossing bill received pushback from both hunters and ranchers Thursday but the committee still forwarded it to the Senate. One hunter said, “let’s just go out and corner-cross,” then write a new bill to address any problems that come up.
Mark HeinzFebruary 27, 2026
Controversial Gun Rights Bill Passes Committee, Cops Still Don’t Like It
A Wyoming Senate committee on Wednesday forwarded a gun rights bill to the House floor. While tweaked, law enforcement officers still don’t like it, claiming it could allow criminals to sue them over technicalities.
Mark HeinzFebruary 26, 2026
"That Ain't No Coyote": Rancher Kills Wolf In Southeastern Wyoming Near Carpenter
A Laramie County rancher shot a roughly 2-year-old male wolf near Carpenter, Wyoming, where wolves are almost never seen. It may be the first recorded legal wolf killing in the county, and its origin remains unclear.
Mark HeinzFebruary 25, 2026
Wyoming Couple Weathers Chaos In Puerto Vallarta, Has No Plans To Leave
A Thermopolis couple who rent a vacation home in Puerto Vallarta is doing fine after cartel violence rocked the city. “Sunday was a day from hell. We didn’t know what was going on," Lindy Be Hughes told Cowboy State Daily. The couple has no plans to leave.
Mark HeinzFebruary 24, 2026
Influential Outdoorsman Says Wolves Cost Western States More Than Tourism Brings In
It’s commonly argued that wolves are worth millions to the economies of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, because they’re such tourist magnets. Others, like outdoorsman Trinity Vandenacre, say wolves ultimately drain more from the states’ economies than they bring in.
Mark HeinzFebruary 24, 2026
Idaho Man Poaches Deer On Elementary School Lawn, Then Comes Back For Carcass
In a case that a wildlife officer described as "crazy" and “a first for me,” an Idaho man allegedly shot a deer on an elementary school lawn after dark, left for about two hours, and then came back and loaded the deer’s carcass into his pickup.
Mark HeinzFebruary 23, 2026
Did You Know? Elk Are Nature's Garbage Disposals, They'll Eat Anything
Elk could be regarded as walking septic tanks in that the range of bacteria in their gut allows them to eat things other animals can't handle. They have a multi-stomach digestive system and the first stomach is “essentially a fermentation vat."
Mark HeinzFebruary 22, 2026
Ranchers Are Putting Flashing Lights On Cattle And Sheep To Keep Predators Away
Seeking a cheap and effective way to protect livestock from predators, Utah researchers think they have an answer — put flashing lights on sheep and cattle to scare them off. Critics say predators will get used to them and go back to killing livestock.
Mark HeinzFebruary 22, 2026
Circle Of Life: Eagles, Ravens Feast On Bison Killed By Wolves In Yellowstone
Bald eagles might be regarded as the most fearsome predators of the sky, but like any other wild creature, they do whatever it takes to survive winter. Accordingly, they scavenge more than hunt during the cold months, biologists told Cowboy State Daily.
Mark HeinzFebruary 22, 2026
Death Of Grizzly Called ‘Tex’ In Canada Mirrors Controversies Over Wyoming Bears
The controversy over grizzlies in southwestern British Columbia mirrors the situation in Wyoming, as grizzlies wander into new places and run afoul of people and cattle. Such was the case with a grizzly called Tex who was killed by residents protecting their cows.
Mark HeinzFebruary 22, 2026
Snowmobilers Cheer: Iconic Albany Lodge West Of Laramie Reopening Under New Name
Snowmobilers were disappointed when the iconic Albany Lodge west of Laramie closed in June. But to their delight, it’s set to reopen under new ownership and a new name. “Come in for cold beer, good food and a great time,” the new owners said.
Mark HeinzFebruary 21, 2026
Yellowstone’s Beloved Coyote Trickster Limpy Is Starting To Show His Age
Limpy, a well-known Yellowstone National Park coyote, suckers snacks out of tourists by acting injured and needy. He’s a popular attraction, but at 8 to 9 years old, he could be nearing his end.
Mark HeinzFebruary 21, 2026
Bears Dash Across Ski Slope As Mild Winter Sparks Unusual Sightings
A mother black bear with two cubs went tearing across a California ski slope on Wednesday. With mild winter weather, unexpected wildlife spottings are occurring in Wyoming, California and Canada.
Mark HeinzFebruary 21, 2026
Gun Rights Bill Legislator Says Could Prevent ‘Dystopian Future’ Passes Senate
The Second Amendment Protection Act is an insurance policy against a “dystopian future” where Wyomingites’ rights are trampled, said a legislator prior to the Senate passing the bill Thursday.
Mark HeinzFebruary 20, 2026
Push To Ban Running Wolves Over With Snowmobiles Continues Despite Long Odds
Two years after a wolf was run over with a snowmobile in Sublette County sparked worldwide outrage, animal welfare advocates are still trying to get the practice banned in Wyoming. But there are long odds getting that done in this year’s budget session.
Mark HeinzFebruary 19, 2026
Two Charged In Illegal, Out-Of-Season Wolf Killing In Wyoming
Two men were charged in connection with an illegal wolf killing near Cody. The wolf was killed in a wolf hunting zone, but authorities allege it was shot without a license and out of season.
Mark HeinzFebruary 18, 2026
Committee OKs Bill To Keep Some Landowners From Claiming All Hunting Tags
Landowners won’t be able to claim all the tags in certain big game hunting areas under a bill a legislative committee forwarded to the Wyoming Senate floor on Tuesday.
Mark HeinzFebruary 17, 2026