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

The rugged and remote Green Mountain area in the Laramie Range in Albany County is prized for its elk and bighorn sheep hunting. The proposed Britania Land Exchange would trade rugged Forest Service Land in Albany for two parchels farther to the north.

Fight Over Prime Wyoming Hunting Land Exchange Headed To Federal Court

A legal fight is brewing over a U.S. Forest Service land exchange that would take a "hunter's paradise" parcel in Wyoming's Laramie Range out of public use. Opponents of the swap filed a court petition to stop it this week and are threatening a lawsuit.

Mark HeinzNovember 14, 2024

LaPrele Dam has been standing for 115 years, more than double its original 50-year lifespan.

Failing LaPrele Dam Near Douglas Leaves Farmers With No Good Options

There doesn't seem to be any good options for people living below the 115-year-old LaPrele Dam near Douglas which is failing. It's scheduled to be breached by April 1, 2025.

Mark HeinzNovember 14, 2024

Colorado Says If You See A Deer In The Road, Hit It. Don’t Try To “Save Bambi”

If a deer jumps out in front of your vehicle on the road, Colorado officials say it could be best to just hit it. Swerving to try and “save Bambi” could lead to even more tragic results.

Mark HeinzNovember 14, 2024

An elk hunt near Sybille Canyon in southeast Wyoming became a mountain lion hunt for Matt Rivord of Laramie. He said more and more mountain lions have been showing up there.

Having A Mountain Lion Tag, Just In Case, Pays Off For Wyoming Elk Hunting Guide

Hunters keeping just-in-case mountain lion tags in their pocket when they’re out after elk and deer is increasingly common. It paid off for a Wyoming elk hunting guide.

Mark HeinzNovember 13, 2024

Wildlife biologist Cat Wood studied and photographed wolverines in Alaska, like in this file photo. She says a video taken Tuesday morning near Yellowstone National Park, though blurry, shows a wolverine.

Blurry Video Near Yellowstone May Be Extremely Rare Wolverine Sighting

A blurry video taken early Tuesday shows a creature bounding across a highway near Yellowstone National Park. Though the footage is blurry, the man who took it says it was a wolverine, and a wildlife biologist agrees.

Mark HeinzNovember 12, 2024

Students walk on the University of Wyoming campus in this file photo.

UW Eyes Change Of Campus Gun Policy To Allow Concealed Carry

The University of Wyoming might change its policy regarding carrying guns on campus. Now, it's essentially banned, but allowing concealed carry may be in a draft rule expected to be announced Wednesday.

Mark HeinzNovember 12, 2024

Trump’s Win Could Tip The Scales In Favor Of Delisting Wyoming’s Grizzlies

With the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump, it’s possible that federal protections could be removed for Wyoming’s grizzly bears.

Mark HeinzNovember 12, 2024

Plunging Temps Get Wyoming Big Game Moving, Increase Odds For Hunters

After a scorching start to hunting season in September and October, colder temperatures and snow in November are helping hunters out.

Mark HeinzNovember 11, 2024

Many modern pistol designs feature a safety lever built into the trigger. That mitigates the risk of accidental firing, if the pistol is being carried with a round in the firing chamber.

Wyoming Outdoorsmen Say In Grizzly Country, Have A Round Chambered In Your Handgun

When a grizzly is charging and milliseconds count, it’s best to have a round already chambered in a defensive handgun, Wyoming outdoorsmen told Cowboy State Daily. A hunter who shot and killed charging grizzly last month says it saved his life.

Mark HeinzNovember 10, 2024

It’s been nearly 30 years since John Talbott, inset, then Wyoming Game and Fish director, got caught fishing without a license and resigned.

That Time Wyoming’s Game And Fish Director Was Caught Fishing Without A License

It’s been nearly 30 years since John Talbott, then Wyoming Game and Fish director, got caught fishing without a license and resigned. The incident still lives on in Wyoming author C.J. Box’s “Joe Pickett” novels.

Mark HeinzNovember 09, 2024

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

Are Coloradans Shooting At Wolves? Bullet Wound Sparks Speculation

A Colorado wolf found dead was killed by another wolf, but also had an old bullet wound, state officials reported this week. It’s sparked speculation that Coloradans have started taking potshots at wolves.

Mark HeinzNovember 09, 2024

Cattle walk along a dire road in west Texas in this file photo.

In Texas, Cattle Run Loose After Bandits Ram Stolen Pickups Through Fences

Texas ranchers are increasingly dealing with people fleeing law enforcement, crashing stolen pickups through fences and turning their cattle loose.

Mark HeinzNovember 08, 2024

Other Authors

Garrett Kalkowski and his father, Vince, along with their family and friends have hunted elk for years in the Meeteetse area. Garrett said the grizzly population there has been steadily increasing, and that he had to shoot and kill a grizzly on Oct. 3 to save him and his father from being mauled.

Wyoming Hunter Says 10 mm Pistol Saved Him And Dad From Grizzly Mauling

A Cody, Wyoming, hunter related Thursday how having a round chambered in his 10 mm pistol saved him and his dad from being mauled by a grizzly. The bear was just a few yards away when he shot it in self-defense.

Mark HeinzNovember 07, 2024

Senate District 10: Republican Crum Claims Seat as Furphy Steps Down

In Laramie, Republican Gary Crum defeated Democrat Mike Selmer on Tuesday in the race for the Wyoming Senate District 10 seat being vacated by Republican Dan Furphy.

Mark HeinzNovember 06, 2024

House District 13: Chestek Holds Off Republican Swett

Keeping with a trend of incumbent Democrats winning in Albany County, Ken Chestek held off Republican challenger Shane Swett on Tuesday.

Mark HeinzNovember 06, 2024

Trey Sherwood, D-Laramie, won reelection to House District 14 on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024.

Democrat Sherwood Secures Third Term In HD 14 For Albany County

Democrat Trey Sherwood held her Wyoming House District 14 seat in Albany County for a third term, beating Republican challenger Joe Giustozzi on Tuesday.

Mark HeinzNovember 06, 2024

Democrat incumbent Karlee Provenza won her reelection bid in Albany County on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024.

Provenza Wins Third Term In House District 45, Holds Seat For Wyoming Dems

Incumbent Democrat Karlee Provenza of Laramie won a third term in Wyoming House District 45 on Tuesday. She holds the seat for state Democrats, beating Republican challenger Paul Crouch.

Mark HeinzNovember 06, 2024

The Green River City Council voted to abolish the use of a gas chamber for animal euthanasia, leaving just one known location in the United States to continue using the controversial practice. Madhu Anderson (pictured), a longtime animal rights activist, called it a major victory.

Wyoming Has The Country’s Only Known Animal Shelter Gas Chambers

After Missouri shut its only animal shelter gas chamber to euthanize unwanted pets, Wyoming is the only state left that uses it. It has two, in Green River and Evanston.

Mark HeinzNovember 06, 2024

A hunting accident 11 years ago left Idaho resident Tj Cartwright completely blind. But that didn’t stop him from taking up hunting again. He recently came to Wyoming and shot this whitetail buck in Park County.

Blind Hunter Shoots Wyoming Buck, Hopes To Inspire Others

Tj Cartwright was accidently shot in the face with a hunting arrow 11 years ago, leaving him completely blind. But he didn’t stop hunting, and shot a Wyoming buck this season.

Mark HeinzNovember 05, 2024

A brown bear turns and attacks a ranger in Armenia after being released.

Wyoming Experts Say Safety Rules Ignored In Bear Release That Ended In Attack

Armenian wildlife rangers ignored safety rules and did practically everything wrong in a viral video of a bear release gone wrong. Wyoming grizzly experts say the rangers are lucky nobody was killed when the brown bear turned and attacked.

Mark HeinzNovember 05, 2024

Mark Longo of New York and his pet squirrel Peanut have been a social media sensation for years. Peanut had his own Instagram account with 714,000 followers.

Bipartisan Outrage Over New York Killing Social Media Star Peanut The Squirrel

New York’s killing of social media star Peanut the Squirrel has drawn outrage from liberals and conservatives across the country. Critics say the backlash shows government overreach is out of control.

Mark HeinzNovember 04, 2024

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