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
Hunter Shoots Partner As Both Open Fire On Charging Montana Grizzly
A Montana hunter accidentally shot and wounded his partner after both of them opened fire on a female grizzly that was charging them. The grizzly was killed and the man, who was hit in the back of one of his shoulders, survived.
Mark HeinzAugust 31, 2023
Non-Violent Felons Can Now Have Guns In Wyoming, But Can They Buy Them?
A restoration of rights in Wyoming for nonviolent felons includes the right to keep and use firearms, but whether that means they can pass a federal background check still isn’t clear, says a local gun rights advocate.
Mark HeinzAugust 30, 2023
It’s Been A Banner Season For ‘Stupid Tourist Tricks’ In Yellowstone
Tourists keep pushing their luck with wildlife in Yellowstone National Park, and it’s probably just a matter of time before somebody is “severely injured,” one observer said.
Mark HeinzAugust 30, 2023
Game and Fish Traps, Relocates Grizzly Hanging Around Highway
Wildlife agents captured and relocated a young male grizzly near Moran on Saturday because it was hanging out too close to a highway. It was one of numerous incidents involving bears this year in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho.
Mark HeinzAugust 29, 2023
Wyoming Schools Unprepared For Space Alien Invasion, But Maryland’s Aren’t
If space aliens invade Wyoming, its schools will be caught flat-footed, even though some schools in Maryland are preparing for an “Independence Day” scenario.
Mark HeinzAugust 29, 2023
Cops Banned From Donut Shops? Not In Wyoming
A Wyoming undersheriff, gun advocate and bakery all say a California chain of bakeries that’s banned cops because they carry guns is “extremism taken to the max.”
Mark HeinzAugust 28, 2023
Drought In Canada Mean Fewer Geese And Ducks In Wyoming
There are fewer geese and ducks in Wyoming because of drought in northern waterfowl breeding grounds in Canada.
Mark HeinzAugust 28, 2023
How Elvis (Indirectly) Helped Create A Divided Highway In Middle Of Nowhere, Wyoming
Before it was a back road between Rock River and Bosler, U.S. Highway 30 was one of Wyoming’s busiest stretches of road. A crash that killed one of Elvis Presley’s movie co-stars helped upgrade 19 miles of it with wide-open four-lane pavement.
Mark HeinzAugust 26, 2023
Wyoming Famous Monster Bucks: The Legend Of Goliath, Popeye And Morty
Three decades after they left hunters and wildlife photographers awestruck, Wyoming’s monster mule deer bucks “Popeye,” “Morty” and “Goliath” still have fans, and are commemorated by Wyoming Whiskey.
Mark HeinzAugust 26, 2023
For A Brief Time In 1940, Monkeys Were Loose In Yellowstone
Yellowstone has always had a diversity of wildlife within its borders. Back in 1940, monkeys were briefly a part of the ecosystem.
Mark HeinzAugust 26, 2023
Mountain Goats Are Killing Dogs On Crowded Utah Hiking Trails
Popular hiking trails near Orem, Utah, have gotten so crowded, mountain goats there aren’t afraid of people anymore, and have started killing hiker’s dogs, including three in the last three weeks.
Mark HeinzAugust 24, 2023
Grizzly 399 And Her ‘Absolutely Gigantic’ Cub Appear Again After Monthlong Absence
Wyoming’s most famous wild critters, Grizzly 399 and her "absolutely gigantic" cub Spirit, which has had a growth spurt, appeared this week for the first time in about a month, gorging on abundant forage in Teton National Park.
Mark HeinzAugust 23, 2023
Monster Bucks: Wet Summer Boosts Wyoming Big Game Antler Growth
Big game herds in some of Wyoming’s premier hunting areas suffered devastating winterkill losses, but the good news is, there could be some monster bucks lurking among the survivors.
Mark HeinzAugust 23, 2023
Did Wyoming’s Rock Star Deer ‘The King’ Survive Winter? Nobody Knows
A huge Wyoming mule deer buck, called “The King” by his fans has garnered a huge social media following over the past few years. But it’s not known whether he survived this winter’s massive die-offs.
Mark HeinzAugust 22, 2023
Disabled Vet Gets Wyoming Elk Hunt Through Donated Tag
A disabled veteran from Minnesota can live his dream of hunting elk in the Cowboy State, because somebody from Wyoming anonymously donated their elk tag.
Mark HeinzAugust 22, 2023
First-Time Hunters Help Cull Overpopulated Elk In Black Hills
Some Wyoming outfitters, the state Game and Fish and landowners have teamed up to give first-time hunters an opportunity at elk, while also culling an over-abundance of elk in the Black Hills area
Mark HeinzAugust 21, 2023
Wyoming Wildlife Photographer Stumbles On To Three Grizzlies Feasting On Carcass
Wyoming wildlife photographer Dave Bell struck gold when he happened upon four grizzlies along the Chief Joseph Highway north of Cody, three of which were feasting on a cattle carcass in a mud bog.
Mark HeinzAugust 21, 2023
Hunting Wyoming: Sierra Mortimer, Perfecting The Art Of European Skull Mounts
Preparing “European Mounts,” or just the skull and antlers or horns from cattle or big game, isn’t nearly as simple as people might think. Converse County's Sierra Mortimer has made a business of it.
Mark HeinzAugust 20, 2023
Karelian Bear Dogs Help ‘Train’ Grizzlies To Stay Out Of Trouble
With the help of Karelian bear dogs, Carrie Hunt has been training grizzlies to stay out of trouble for nearly 30 years. As a bear biologist, Hunt says she has a profound respect for bears and doesn’t want to see them come to bad ends.
Mark HeinzAugust 19, 2023
Despite Having Fewest People, Wyoming Piles Up 8th Most Roadkill
Wyoming may have the fewest people of all 50 states, but when it comes to roadkill, Wyoming ranks No. 8 overall, behind northern neighbor Montana at No. 2.
Mark HeinzAugust 18, 2023
Massive Winterkill Is Impacting Wyoming Antelope Hunts
Massive winterkill prompted Wyoming Game and Fish to cut thousands of hunting tags, and some regular hunters say they’ll forego this season to help decimated herds recover.
Mark HeinzAugust 18, 2023