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
Got Ticks? Guinea Fowl Could Be Best Way To Get Rid Of Them (Rattlesnakes Too)
A Goshen County couple was alarmed when they found their new property was infested with ticks. But after purchasing a couple dozen guinea fowls to patrol their property, they've been tick-free. Plus, they're also good at killing rattlesnakes.
Mark HeinzMarch 28, 2024
Wyoming Hunters Kill Record 29,000 Elk, But Not Enough To Trim Massive Herds
Hunters killed roughly 29,000 elk in Wyoming, for a record-setting 2023-2024 hunting season. Although that's a huge amount of elk, it only scratches the surface of what's needed to cull the state’s ballooning herds.
Mark HeinzMarch 27, 2024
Wyoming Ticks Are Already Coming Out, Entomologist Bags 53 In Minutes
Think it’s too early in the year to worry about ticks in Wyoming? Think again. An entomologist collected 53 in about 40 minutes Sunday in Laramie County.
Mark HeinzMarch 26, 2024
Feds Want To Put Grizzlies In Washington; Will They Use Wyoming Bears?
After years of speculation over returning grizzlies to Washington’s North Cascades, the federal government has taken the first solid step toward reintroducing bears. Whether Wyoming grizzlies will be captured and transported to Washington’s mountains remains an open question.
Mark HeinzMarch 26, 2024
Mountain Lion Kills California Man, But Attacks In Wyoming Extremely Rare
A mountain lion attack in northern California on Saturday left one man dead and his brother severely maimed, but a Wyoming outfitter said such an attack is extremely unlikely here.
Mark HeinzMarch 25, 2024
Northeast Wyoming Already Blowing Up As Wildfire Hot-Spot
Wyoming’s premier national forests might be safe from a nasty fire season, but in the northeast corner of the state, it’s already blowing up — and expected to get worse.
Mark HeinzMarch 25, 2024
Wyoming Wildlife Getting Used To New Network Of 9 Underpasses In Lincoln County
Since opening in October, the Dry Piney wildlife underpasses along Highway 189 near La Barge have already saved an estimated hundreds, if not thousands, of moose, deer, antelope, and other critters of all sizes.
Mark HeinzMarch 24, 2024
Wyoming Game And Fish Proposes Unlimited Elk Tags To Cut Down On Gigantic Herds
In an effort to cull some of the state’s swelling elk herds, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department could offer unlimited cow/calf elk tags in some hunt areas this fall. Whether hunters can fill those tags, however, will depend upon getting access to private land.
Mark HeinzMarch 23, 2024
Gordon Vetoes Bill To Repeal Gun-Free Zones In Wyoming
Gun rights advocates were furious after hearing that Gov. Mark Gordon vetoed a bill late Friday that would have repealed Wyoming’s gun-free zones. “Gordon broke a written campaign promise that he made to gun owners. Gordon is a liar,” a Wyoming Gun Owners spokesman said.
Mark HeinzMarch 23, 2024
Stumbling Upon Newborn Bear Cubs & Stopping To Take Photos Not A Good Strategy
A shed antler hunter In Virginia thought he heard cries of a wounded rabbit, but discovered a pair of newborn black bear cubs. Luckily he didn't get his head ripped off when he stopped to take photos. The better strategy is to leave immediately.
Mark HeinzMarch 22, 2024
Wyoming Could Be Next To Restrict Wolf Trapping Because Of Grizzlies
Following a similar ruling in Montana, wolf trapping in Idaho was restricted Tuesday over concern that grizzly bears could get caught in wolf traps. Wyomingites are worried it could happen here.
Mark HeinzMarch 21, 2024
Wyoming’s 2nd Chick-fil-A Opens To Long Lines At University Of Wyoming
Long lines and huge crowds awaited the opening of the second Chick-fil-A in the state of Wyoming. The grand opening at the University of Wyoming was attended by hundreds of people and the Chick-fil-A cow mascot, who was urging customers to buy more chicken.
Mark HeinzMarch 21, 2024
Yellowstone’s "Limpy The Coyote" Now Teaching Other Critters To Beg
Limpy the Coyote, Yellowstone's best-known animal con artist, is teaching other critters how to beg tourists for food. Wildlife observers say other coyotes have been picking up on the scam and following Limpy’s lead.
Mark HeinzMarch 20, 2024
Hundreds Protest, Testify Against So-Called ‘Assault Weapons Ban’ In Colorado
With the so-called “assault weapons ban” bill before the Colorado Legislature, hundreds of gun rights supporters protested at state Capitol in Denver on Tuesday. One of the organizers was Dudley Brown, a Gillette native and president of the National Association for Gun Rights.
Mark HeinzMarch 19, 2024
Was An Evanston Couple Cornered By Wolves, Or Dogs?
An Evanston couple said they were terrified late Monday while out walking their dogs when they were cornered by three vicious canines that they suspect were wolves.
Mark HeinzMarch 19, 2024
Lawsuit Threatened To Re-List Wyoming Wolves As Endangered Species
A coalition of environmental groups announced they are planning to sue the federal government to get wolves reilisted as endangered in Wyoming. But Wyoming conservationists scoffed at the news stating these groups are attempting to weaponize the court system.
Mark HeinzMarch 18, 2024
Wyoming Elk, Antelope Adapt Better To Housing, Energy Developments Than Mule Deer
As housing and energy development continues in Wyoming, elk and antelope are more likely to adapt to avoid humans. Mule deer on the other hand are too stubborn to move and will keep their migration routes.
Mark HeinzMarch 18, 2024
‘Son Of A Poacher’ Recalls Wyoming Game Warden’s Career With Book Series
Though his father was a poacher, Scott Werbelow of Meeteetse grew up to have a 30-year career as a Wyoming game warden, and is writing a series of books about his experiences.
Mark HeinzMarch 17, 2024
Blind Fox, Bobcats And ‘Stinkerbell’ The Skunk Share A Home At Wyoming Rescue
The goal of the Broken Bandit Wildlife Center east of Cheyenne is to rehab wildlife and return them to the wild. But when disabilities don't allow that, like the blind fox named 'Vixen,' they’ll live out the rest of their lives on the property.
Mark HeinzMarch 16, 2024
Sheridan Joins Running For $10M Wyoming Shooting Complex
Competition for which Wyoming community will be the site of a sprawling, multimillion-dollar shooting complex just got more intense with Sheridan joining the running with eight others.
Mark HeinzMarch 15, 2024
Whatever Happened With Delisting Wyoming’s Grizzlies?
A year ago, Gov Mark Gordon’s office announced that he had struck a deal with the Fish and Wildlife Service that would very likely get grizzlies delisted within a year. But nothing has changed.
Mark HeinzMarch 15, 2024