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 Legislator Pushes Back On Claim Shooting Prairie Dogs Is “Psychopathic”
A retired professor told a Wyoming legislative committee Thursday that shooting prairie dogs is “psychopathic.” That raised the hackles of the sponsor of a bill to allow shooting the critters from vehicles. It’s about pest management, he says.
Mark HeinzFebruary 20, 2025
Coyote Hunt Organizer Says She's Getting Death Threats Over Upcoming Event
An organizer of a coyote predator hunting contest in Sublette County says she’s getting death threats because people are perceiving it to be a “celebration” of the torture and killing of a wolf there last year.
Mark HeinzFebruary 19, 2025
Repeal of Wyoming’s Gun-Free Zones Clear Major Hurdle, Headed To Senate
A bill to repeal Wyoming’s gun-free zone was unanimously approved by a Wyoming Senate committee on Tuesday, and will head to the Senate Floor. Testimony included input from “More Guns, Less Crime” author John Lott.
Mark HeinzFebruary 19, 2025
Eastern Black Bears Are Blimps, Dwarfing Wyoming Grizzlies
In Wyoming, a black bear over 400 pounds is considered a rare trophy. But back East, it would be puny. Bears there gorge on fresh crops and sometimes top 800 pounds.
Mark HeinzFebruary 18, 2025
Colorado “Mystery Wolf” Might Be From Wyoming
Fifteen wolves from Canada, have been spreading out across northwest Colorado after being released last month. There’s also reportedly another mystery wolf running around, although nobody is sure where it came from. It might be from Wyoming.
Mark HeinzFebruary 17, 2025
Outdoor Cats Are "Murder Machines" Killing Over 1 Billion Birds Every Year, Say Biologists
Letting pet cats out to roam might seem like it’s doing them a favor, but don’t be fooled — Fluffy is a murder machine. “The estimates are that cats in the U.S. kill a billion birds a year. A billion,” one wildlife biologist told Cowboy State Daily.
Mark HeinzFebruary 16, 2025
Gillette Man Builds Black Powder Cannons, Lets Kids Shoot Them
What began as an outreach for troubled youth led to a Gillette machinist's shop becoming a black powder cannon and mortar factory. Now he builds cannons and lets kids shoot in a safe, controlled environment with adult supervision.
Mark HeinzFebruary 16, 2025
Wyoming Must 'Close The Door' On Running Over Wolves With Snowmobiles, Schmid Says
Though his bill to ban running predators over with snowmobiles failed, Wyoming Rep. Mike Schmid says he’s determined to “close the door” on the practice in Wyoming.
Mark HeinzFebruary 16, 2025
Gun Owners Expect Trump To Lift Nearly 100-Year-Old Restrictions On Silencers
Under the Trump administration, Wyoming gun rights advocates hope that a 91-year-old restriction on suppressors — aka silencers — will be lifted. However, nobody expects fully automatic weapons to become readily available.
Mark HeinzFebruary 15, 2025
Trump Order Might Help Wyoming Couple Get Back Guns Seized By ATF
Thanks to an executive order from President Donald Trump, a Sheridan couple who lost their guns in an ATF raid might get them back.
Mark HeinzFebruary 15, 2025
Sportsmen Rally Against “Bad Bills” They Say Would Ruin Wyoming’s Outdoor Paradise
With what they call “bad bills” being considered by the Wyoming Legislature, a group of hunters and anglers rallied outside the Capitol on Thursday. They say average people need more political clout to keep Wyoming an outdoor paradise.
Mark HeinzFebruary 14, 2025
With Repeal Of Wyoming’s Gun-Free Zones Likely, Opponents Ask For Exceptions
Even some opponents of a bill to repeal Wyoming’s gun-free zones seemed resigned to it likely passing during testimony before legislators Thursday. Now they’re asking for exceptions.
Mark HeinzFebruary 14, 2025
Trump Picks Former Wyoming Game And Fish Chief Nesvik To Head Fish And Wildlife
Only months after retiring as director of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Brian Nesvik has been picked by President Donald Trump to head the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Mark HeinzFebruary 12, 2025
Legislators: If State’s Paying $90M For New La Prele Dam, Public Needs Access
If $90 million of Wyoming taxpayer money is going toward rebuilding the LaPrele Dam near Douglas, the public should have recreational access to the reservoir, legislators say.
Mark HeinzFebruary 11, 2025
‘Shot Heard ‘Round The World’ Observance To Honor 250th Anniversary Of Revolutionary War
Kevin Cox has organized an event on April 19 where gun owners in all 50 states will fire their guns at the same time on the 250th anniversary of the Revolutionary War, otherwise known as the "Shot Heard 'Round The World."
Mark HeinzFebruary 11, 2025
Wyoming Redneck Chronicles, Part 2: Cheyenne Mechanic's .50 Caliber Black Powder Cannon
A fully-functional miniature black powder cannon sounds like the dream of many a Wyoming man’s inner 14-year-old. Cheyenne mechanic Geno Stecks agrees his .50 caliber piece – modeled after a Revolutionary War Naval gun – is an absolute hoot.
Mark HeinzFebruary 09, 2025
Are Wyoming Mountain Lions Better At Killing Each Other Than Hunters Are At Killing Them?
The best hunters of mountain lions? Mountain lions. A study of mountain lions in the Snowy Range Mountains suggests that the big cats can control their own population just as well, or better, than hunters can.
Mark HeinzFebruary 09, 2025
Meet Tiny, A 2,000-Pound Texas Longhorn And Officially Registered Emotional Support Animal
Fed up with the “emotional support animal crock of crap,” a Texan decided it would be funny to try registering his massive longhorn steer as an emotional support animal. It worked.
Mark HeinzFebruary 08, 2025
Feds Will Listen To Wyoming This Time About BLM Rock Springs Plan, Former Trump Interior Official Says
A former high-ranking Dept of Interior official told Cowboy State Daily that the BLM's Rock Springs area plan will likely be heavily revised toward Wyoming’s liking and will be "very respectful" of Gov. Mark Gordon's recommendations.
Mark HeinzFebruary 07, 2025
Without Stiffer Trespass Law, There Could Be Gunfights, ‘Blood On The Prairie,’ Lawmaker Says
A bill that would have stiffened Wyoming’s hunting trespass penalties died in committee on Thursday. The bill’s sponsor warned of violence if more isn’t done to curb trespassing. "I fear there will be shootouts and blood on the prairie,” Rep. Allemand said
Mark HeinzFebruary 06, 2025
Trump Administration Shuts Down Controversial Biden-Era Rock Springs Management Plan
Sweetwater County officials were thrilled at news that a controversial federal land management plan had been shut down by the Trump administration. Newly-appointed Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum made the decision late Wednesday.
Mark HeinzFebruary 06, 2025