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

Still No Sign Of Teton Park Grizzly 399, But Close Followers Of Famed Bruin Not Too Concerned

Wyoming’s most beloved bear, Grizzly 399, has yet to emerge from her den, but some of her closest followers say there’s no reason to worry, yet.

Mark HeinzApril 21, 2023

Wyoming Game and Fish Department wardens captured four orphaned 6-month-old orphaned mountain lion cubs near Pinedale last year. They were taken to the Bear Country USA zoo in South Dakota.

Orphaned Wyoming Mountain Lion Cubs Find Home In South Dakota Zoo

At least two of four orphaned mountain lion cubs captured last year near Pinedale are thriving at a South Dakota wildlife park.

Mark HeinzApril 20, 2023

Wyoming U.S. Sens. Cynthia Lummis and John Barrasso are both supporting a bill to halt federal land management agencies from enacting bans on lead ammunition.

Lummis And Barrasso Call Lead Ammunition Ban “Activist-Driven Nonsense”

Wyoming’s U.S. senators joined an ongoing battle to stop the ban of lead ammunition and fishing tackle on public lands, claiming the effort’s nothing but “activist-driven nonsense” and would unjustly punish Wyoming hunters and anglers.

Mark HeinzApril 20, 2023

Antelope near Big Piney have resorted to traveling on highways because much of the countryside remains locked under deep snow.

Shooting Range Scaring Off Hundreds Of Struggling Wyoming Antelope, Rancher Says

Gunfire from a shooting range near Big Piney has kept hundreds of antelope from seeking shelter on some of the last suitable ground there this winter, says an area rancher.

Mark HeinzApril 20, 2023

Roxy, a Pomeranian-Dachshund mix, adds to her owner’s springtime poop patrol duties.

Record Snow Means Wyoming Faces Record Spring Dog Doo Season

Huge snowfall and record cold mean there’s also an equally huge spring dog doo cleanup season in store for Wyoming.

Mark HeinzApril 19, 2023

In the wake of more than 10,000 winterkill antelope, the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission approved a cut to hunting tags.

More Than 10,000 Antelope Hunting Tags Cut In Wake Of Brutal Wyoming Winterkill

With the ultimate antelope death toll from the worst winter in recent memory still unknown, game managers Tuesday agreed to cut more than 10,000 hunting tags for the struggling herds this fall.

Mark HeinzApril 18, 2023

Concerned over a large amount of big game winterkill, the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission has OK'd raising kill quotas for predator hunting seasons in some areas.

After Massive Wyoming Big Game Winterkill, Some Hunters Worry Predators Will Decimate Herds

With big game herds facing huge losses from winterkill, some Wyoming hunters say it’s time to turn up the heat on predators to prevent losing even more antelope, deer and elk.

Mark HeinzApril 18, 2023

In Wake Of Bird Flu Killing Wyoming Mountain Lion, Experts Say Virus Is Unpredictable

It’s difficult to say whether the recent death of a Wyoming mountain lion from bird flu indicates more mammals with catch the virus.

Mark HeinzApril 17, 2023

Brutal Winter Could Delay Shed Antler Season, The Last For Nonresidents Before New Regs Kick In

Because of persistent winter conditions, the last shed antler hunting season allowing nonresidents to start their treasure hunts at the same time as Wyomingites could be delayed. The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission discussed the situation Monday.

Mark HeinzApril 17, 2023

A bull elk that came up on a mountain lion in Yellowstone National Park recently is lucky the lion had already dined on bighorn sheep, a wildlife official says.

Elk Chilling Out Near Yellowstone Mountain Lion Lucky Big Cat Wasn’t Hungry

A mountain lion that had a bull elk walk right up to it recently in Yellowstone Park had just finished eating a bighorn sheep, and apparently wasn’t interested in dessert, park officials said.

Mark HeinzApril 17, 2023

How A Laramie, Wyoming Company Revolutionized The Maritime Industry

Wyoming might not seem like a maritime industry hub, but a Laramie-based company has been making its mark with shipping companies across the globe. The world's largest ships have Kent Henry's water sanitation technology onboard.

Mark HeinzApril 16, 2023

This section of “wildlife-friendly” fence in the Pinedale region was designed by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to make it easier for wildlife to get over or under it.

Crossing Fences: Legal Squabble Over “Wildlife-Friendly” Fencing In Teton County Could Impact State

A Wyoming couple is suing Teton County over an ordinance which requires "wildlife-friendly" fencing in the county. They argue it's government overreach by forcing landowners to install fencing which, in their case, is ineffective for containing horses.

Mark HeinzApril 14, 2023

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A huge column of smoke could be seen for miles after a dairy farm explosion and fire in Texas that killed 18,000 cows.

18,000 Cattle Blown Up In Texas; Only Event Comparable In Wyoming Was The Blizzard Of 1886 - 1887

Wyoming cattle ranchers say reports of a massive explosion and fire killing 18,000 cattle on a Texas dairy farm are appalling, and point to "The Big Die-Up" as the only event similar to the tragedy. Hundreds of thousands of cattle in Wyoming died during a blizzard back in 1886 - 1887.

Mark HeinzApril 13, 2023

Casper resident Cynthia Leverich caught a mountain lion prowling around town Thursday morning, left, while Cheyenne resident Kenton Paton got surveillance photos March 27 of what looks like a lion, right.

Why Are There So Many Mountain Lions Being Spotted In Wyoming Towns?

Mountain lions occasionally wandering into urban areas is nothing new in Wyoming, but there’s been a recent flurry of big cats taking to the streets, though it’s not certain whether that’s because of the harsh winter, a predator expert said.

Mark HeinzApril 13, 2023

Judge Blocks Biden Water Rule; Wyoming Governor, Ranchers Applaud Decision

A federal judge on Wednesday blocked a Clean Water Act rule from the Biden Administration, which some Wyoming officials said would be too broad and punitive, especially against ranchers and farmers.

Mark HeinzApril 13, 2023

Avid Wyoming Hunter Josh Coursey poses with the bull elk he dropped during the 2022 hunting season. Coursey said he and others might have to scale back their deer and antelope hunting this year, because herds have suffered devastating winterkill.

Wyoming Hunters, Outfitters Support Hunting Tag Cutbacks In Wake Of Devastating Winterkill

Massive winterkill – particularly among some of Wyoming’s premier antelope herds – has prompted the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to propose significant cutbacks in hunting tags this fall.

Mark HeinzApril 12, 2023

A water tower stands over dry grass north of Cheyenne in Laramie County.

Cheyenne’s Water Options May Dry Up As Colorado River Crisis Looms

Cheyenne faces an uncertain future for its water supply due to the Colorado River crisis, and looking to the ranches west of the city probably isn’t an option.

Mark HeinzApril 11, 2023

With massive die-offs expected for some Wyoming deer and antelope herds because of a harsh winter, its unclear how the state's wild mustangs have fared.

As Winter Kills Game Herds By The Thousands, Fate Of Wyoming’s Wild Mustangs Uncertain

While antelope, deer and even elk struggle to survive one on the worst winters in recent memory, the fate of Wyoming’s wild mustangs remains largely unknown.

Mark HeinzApril 11, 2023

An Australian company has introduced a "mammoth meatball," derived from the genes of the long-extinct giant creatures that once roamed Earth.

Wyoming Chef Says Mammoth Meatballs Could Be On Menu, But Probably Not Triceratops Steaks

With an Australian company creating a gigantic meatball from the DNA of extinct woolly mammoths, why not create steaks from the remains of Wyoming's official dinosaur, the Triceratops?

Mark HeinzApril 10, 2023

A herd of antelope run across open terrain.

Pulling the Trigger On One Shot Antelope Hunt Could Be Complicated This Year

Wyoming’s One Shot Antelope Hunt near Lander has come under fire for pulling coveted hunting tags from rank-and-file hunters, particularly with herds suffering massive winterkill this season. However, a hunt organizer said it will likely be scaled back this year.

Mark HeinzApril 10, 2023

Future Location Of Legendary Chief Washakie Statue At UW Uncertain As Campus Redesign Moves Forward

A statue of legendary Shoshone leader Chief Washakie on the University of Wyoming campus commemorates his 1866 duel to the death with Crow Chief Big Robber, which Washakie won. The statue's future location, as well as the fate of the adjacent dining center named after Washakie, are uncertain as UW plans to redesign its campus.

Mark HeinzApril 09, 2023

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