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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.

Find Mark Heinz

Latest from Mark Heinz

The National Park Service has put up lighthearted signs warning people of a fox, or foxes, stealing shoes from the Lizard Creek campground in Grand Teton National Park.

Fox-Turned-Shoe Bandit Makes Grand Teton’s ‘Most Wanted’ List

At least one naughty fox has been making off with people’s shoes from a campground in Grand Teton National Park. At least 32 shoes have been stolen so far, prompting the park to put the fox on its “Most Wanted” list.

Mark HeinzJuly 18, 2025

Fred Eshelman, the landowner at the center of Wyoming’s famous “corner-crossing” case, has lost every court battle against hunters who crossed at the corner of his property to get to public land. Wednesday, he filed a petition for the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case.

Supreme Court Petition Is Final Hail Mary For Wyoming Corner-Crossing Landowner

The landowner at the center of Wyoming’s famous “corner-crossing” case has lost every court battle against hunters who crossed at the corner of his property to get to public land. Wednesday, he filed a petition for the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case.

Mark HeinzJuly 16, 2025

Wolves getty 10 18 24

Montana Considers Killing Nearly Half Of Its Wolf Population

Montana is considering setting a wolf kill quota of 500 for the 2025-2026 wolf seasons, nearly half of its wolf population. It would allow hunters and trappers to take as many as 15 wolves each. 

Mark HeinzJuly 16, 2025

Dozens of landowners showed up at the Game and Fish Commission in Casper Tuesday, to speak out against proposed changes in the landowner hunting tag program.

After Hours Of Testimony, Commission Rejects Changes To Landowner Hunting Tags

After landowners showed up in force to oppose proposed changes to landowner hunting tag requirements, the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission rejected the changes Tuesday.

Mark HeinzJuly 16, 2025

Horses from the Salt Wells Creek mustang herd will be spared from Bureau of Land Management roundups, at least for now, after a federal court ruled against the BLM.

Federal Court Halts Roundup Of Rare Wyoming Curly-Haired Mustangs

A plan to round up rare curly-haired mustangs from herds in southcentral Wyoming is on hold after a Tuesday federal court ruling. The court sided with horse advocate groups against the BLM’s plan.

Mark HeinzJuly 15, 2025

Jackson-Area resident Sarah Harrison MacMillan found this unidentified dead critter floating in the South Fork of the Shoshone River on Saturday. She thinks is might be a young marmot, but others have guessed that it could be an otter, a fisher or even a baby wolverine.

Jackson Woman Stupefied By Dead Mystery Critter Floating In Shoshone River

A Jackson-area woman found a cat-sized dead animal floating in the South Fork of the Shoshone River on Saturday. She doesn’t know what it is and is going nuts trying to positively identify the critter. And it's not a cat.

Mark HeinzJuly 15, 2025

After venturing into Sheridan, this healthy young female black bear was trapped by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department July 5. The bear was set loose deep in the Bighorn Mountains the next day.

Black Bears In Sheridan County Towns So Routine People Say They're Neighbors

Black bears showing up in Sheridan, Story, Dayton and other towns around the Bighorn Mountains has become routine for folks there. Locals say they feel like the bears are neighbors, but “repeat offender” bears sometimes have to be killed.

Mark HeinzJuly 14, 2025

A coalition of conservation and hunting groups claims that holding facilities for mustangs across the West are bursting at the seams. Euthanizing older horses could be a necessary last resort to get things under control.

Killing Older Horses An Option To Trim Wyoming Mustang Herds, Coalition Says

A coalition of conservation and hunting groups claims that holding facilities for mustangs across the West are bursting at the seams. Euthanizing older horses could be a necessary last resort to get things under control, they say.

Mark HeinzJuly 13, 2025

A hunter scopes out a herd of Wyoming antelope. The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission on Tuesday could face hundreds of landowners and residents angry over proposed changes to the landowner hunting tag program. The new regulations could cut as many as 70% of the current allotment of landowner tags.

Hundreds Of Landowners Angry Over Proposed Wyoming Hunting Tag Changes

The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission on Tuesday could face hundreds of landowners and residents angry over proposed changes to the landowner hunting tag program. The new regulations could cut as many as 70% of the current allotment of landowner tags.

Mark HeinzJuly 13, 2025

A pair of mountain bikers were surprised when a bear showed up to chase them on a trail.

Bells On Mountain Bikes Could Help Cyclists Avoid Grizzly Maulings

Mountain bikers and grizzlies aren’t a good combination, as a Montana cyclist learned in 2016 when he surprised a bear and was killed. With more mountain bikes than ever in the backcountry, bells, shouting and carrying bear spray might help.

Mark HeinzJuly 13, 2025

Teton County Search and Rescue transport a trail runner who went down with an injury in Phillips Canyon on June 22.

Teton County Search And Rescue Responding To More Calls Than Ever

Teton County Search and Rescue had its busiest six months ever from December 2024 through May 31. They had more calls in this six-month stretch than the team used to get in an entire year.

Mark HeinzJuly 12, 2025

This photo shows the devastating aftermath of an accidental fireworks explosion inside the South Hall building in Torrington on July 1, 2020. Firefighters were preparing the city’s Fourth of July fireworks display. An unexpected ignition set off a chain reaction. Fortunately, nobody was seriously hurt.

Kaboom! Since Explosion In 2020, Torrington Hasn’t Had Fourth Of July Fireworks

There were city fireworks displays all over Wyoming last week to celebrate the 4th of July. But not in Torrington. Ever since an accident set-off all the fireworks at once which blew the roof off a building, they've passed on an annual celebration.

Mark HeinzJuly 12, 2025

Other Authors

Keeping Wyoming hiking and biking trails clear of fallen trees often falls to volunteers from local organizations. One such group is the Central Wyoming Trails Alliance – which maintains the Casper Mountain trail network.

Trees Are Blocking Wyoming Trails, And They Can’t Be Cleared Fast Enough

Dead trees keep falling over onto trails across Wyoming. With federal trail crews in short supply, the work of clearing the trails is increasingly falling on private companies or local volunteer groups.

Mark HeinzJuly 12, 2025

A herd of cattle stand in a pasture as a lightning bolt strikes behind them in this file photo.

Lightning Not Only A Wildfire Threat, It Also Kills A Lot Of Cows And Livestock

People were stunned by the death of a local animal celebrity, Larry the camel, who was stuck and killed by lightning last week but animal deaths from lightning are more common than many people might think. 

Mark HeinzJuly 10, 2025

The last surviving cub of Grizzly 1063 in Grand Teton National Park, seen here with its mom, was trapped and relocated because it was hanging around a settled area. A bear expert said the yearling has good odds of surviving on its own.

Grizzly 1063’s Last Surviving Cub Trapped, Relocated Off On Its Own

The last surviving cub of Grizzly 1063 in Grand Teton National Park was trapped and relocated because it was hanging around a settled area. A bear expert said the yearling has good odds of surviving on its own.

Mark HeinzJuly 09, 2025

Jared Koenig, the director of recreation with the Sheridan Community Land Trust, demonstrates a “floater-friendly fence” that could help curb conflicts between ranchers and river recreationalists.

Floater-Friendly Fences Could Cool Fighting Between Wyoming Boaters And Ranchers

Steel cables with rope “danglers” that allow boaters to pass through could help cool fighting between floaters and ranchers in Wyoming. One such fight is brewing on Pine Creek near Pinedale.

Mark HeinzJuly 06, 2025

A Park County, Colorado, search and rescue team went 11 miles and spent 10 hours rescuing a dog that was overcome with exhaustion during a hike on June 24. Wyoming search and rescue teams aren’t willing to do that, you’d have to carry your dog out yourself here.

Colorado Search And Rescue Saves Dog, Something Wyoming Teams Can't Do

A Colorado search and rescue team spent 10 hours last week rescuing an exhausted dog from the backcountry. But in Wyoming, dogs are on their own as humans are the only priority. "We don't have the resources," one rescuer said.

Mark HeinzJuly 05, 2025

A mare named Barmaid escaped from its corral near Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park and ran loose in the park for about two weeks before finally being captured, safe and sound.

Trail Horse Named Barmaid Escapes, Runs Free in Grand Teton For Two Weeks

A trail riding mare named Barmaid escaped from a corral and ran free in Grand Teton National Park for about two weeks. She was finally rounded up last weekend without having suffered a single scratch.

Mark HeinzJuly 05, 2025

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