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 Farmer Says She’s Sick Of Having To Pay For Neighbor’s Fences
A Goshen County farmer said she had to pay $10,000 to neighbors last year for their fences. She urged Wyoming legislators Tuesday to move forward a bill that would make landowners responsible for no more than half the cost of fences around new subdivisions.
Mark HeinzJanuary 11, 2023
Human Body Composting Now Legal In Six States, But Not An Option Yet In Wyoming
Although three more states legalized human body composting in 2022, the option is not available in Wyoming yet. One funeral director in Wyoming said they haven't had a lot of requests for it.
Mark HeinzJanuary 09, 2023
Colorado Driver Taunts Elk, And It Promptly Trashes His Tire
A Colorado man got more than he bargained for after he taunted a bull elk on the road. After playfully asking the elk if it wanted to fight, the elk promptly punctured one of his tires.
Mark HeinzJanuary 09, 2023
Wyoming Legislature 2023: Drones, Colorado River Protection High On List
Bills affecting the Wyoming outdoors in the 2023 legislative session include cracking down on drone usage so not to give hunters an unfair advantage and to address privacy concerns as well as legislation to protect Wyoming water along tributaries to the Colorado River.
Mark HeinzJanuary 08, 2023
Bill Would Hike Some Wyoming Nonresident Hunting Tags More Than 200%
A bill pending in the Wyoming Legislature would dramatically hike fees for nonresident hunters wanting to get 'special draw' hunting tags. Deer would go from $288 to $826 (a 187% jump) and antelope would increase from $288 to $874 (a 203% jump).
Mark HeinzJanuary 06, 2023
Fungus, Not Bird Flu, Killed 81 Ducks At Ocean Lake
It was a fungal infection, not bird flu, that killed 81 ducks at Ocean Lake in central Wyoming this fall, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department reports.
Mark HeinzJanuary 06, 2023
Mountain Lions Kill 15 Dogs In 30 Days in Colorado Town
Mountain lions cut a bloody swath through the dog population around a town in rural Boulder County, Colorado, killing as many as 15 dogs in 30 days.
Mark HeinzJanuary 06, 2023
Wyoming Moose Population Continues Decline, Colorado Issues More Moose Hunting Licenses
Wyoming was known as the premier moose hunting destination in the Lower 48, but no longer. Colorado now has a larger moose population and issues more moose hunting licenses. State Sen. Larry HIcks blames wolves and grizzlies for the decline.
Mark HeinzJanuary 06, 2023
Colorado 911 Centers Getting Besieged With iPhone False Alarms At Ski Resorts; Warn Wyoming Of Onslaught
With more than 70 false alerts from iPhones over Christmas weekend, a Colorado, search and rescue responder warns it could be a sign of things to come for Wyoming.
Mark HeinzJanuary 05, 2023
More Than 600 Elk Now Live Outside Lander; Sportsmen Believe It’s Due To Wolves
Eight years ago about 50 elk started showing up near Lander. Now the herd is more than 600. Sportsmen believe the move from the Wind River Mountains is because of the threat of wolves.
Mark HeinzJanuary 05, 2023
Nationwide Hunting Ban For Convicted Poachers Helps Shut Down Criminals, Even Wealthy Ones
A 48-state hunting ban for poachers, which includes Wyoming, is a useful tool to help shut down illegal wildlife killers, particularly wealthy ones. Although they may just travel to Canada or Africa to poach.
Mark HeinzJanuary 04, 2023
Don’t Worry, There Are No Escaped Rhinos Running Wild Along Interstate 25
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department was besieged with phone calls after a parody Facebook account announced that two rhinoceroses were running loose on I-25 after a transport vehicle crashed.
Mark HeinzJanuary 03, 2023
Five Men Who Poached In Wyoming Now Banned From Hunting Nearly Everywhere Else In U.S.
For the fifth time in the past few months, Wyoming has invoked a severe 48-state hunting ban, which strips poachers of their rights to hunt or fish in all but two states.
Mark HeinzDecember 31, 2022
Realtor Claims ‘Corner-Crossers’ Devalued Private Property By Millions In Court Filing
A Wyoming realtor claims allowing the public to access public land by crossing over private land devalued the private property near Elk Mountain by millions of dollars. He said the value is decreased by 30% if corner-crossing is allowed.
Mark HeinzDecember 30, 2022
Wyomingites Favorite Swear Word is “Sh*t,” According to National Study
Wyoming has a higher-than-average rating for the use of profanity and use the word "sh*t" the most, according to a national study. Montana and Colorado favor the f-bomb while Utahans, when they're really angry say "hell" the most.
Mark HeinzDecember 30, 2022
3 Wyoming County Responder Groups Launch Massive Search Effort After False Alarm From Snowmobiler’s Phone
After a minor wreck set off a snowmobilers iPhone emergency alert, search and rescue squads in two counties, along with a chopper crew from a third county, were scrambled for what turned out to be a fruitless three-hour search.
Mark HeinzDecember 29, 2022
Colorado Pack Started By Wyoming Wolves Likely Hasn’t Spawned Second Pack
Potential sightings of wolves in Colorado outside of the North Park packs established territory dont necessarily mean another pack has formed in that state. Meanwhile evidence also suggests that 18 calves found dead werent killed by wolves, as initially suspected.
Mark HeinzDecember 28, 2022
Emergency Services Getting Inundated By New iPhones That Call 911 When Skiers Fall Down
A new feature on Apple phones and watches that calla 911 when skiers fall down is causing chaos in many areas of the country. Wyoming authorities have reached out to Apple but have heard nothing.
Mark HeinzDecember 28, 2022
South Dakota Gov Kristi Noem Gets Flamethrower For Christmas. Will It Start Arms War Among Govs?
In what could be the start of a flaming arms race among Western politicians, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem is showing off a flamethrower her staff gave her for Christmas.
Mark HeinzDecember 27, 2022
Father Dedicates Wyoming Elk Hunt To Fallen Warrior Son: ‘I Promise You He Was There’
Brent Sibley and his son, Forrest, had for many years dreamed of hunting elk together in Wyoming. Forrest was killed in combat in Afghanistan before they got the chance, so Brent dedicated his elk hunt this fall to his fallen son.
Mark HeinzDecember 27, 2022
Rough Week For Wyoming Livestock, But Nothing Like The ‘Big Die-Up’ Of 1886-87
Although Wyoming is experiencing a severe winter storm, from a ranching perspective its nothing like the Big Die-Up of 1886-87, when hundreds of thousands of cattle perished across Wyoming and the West.
Mark HeinzDecember 23, 2022