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
Thanksgiving Hell: Wyoming Plumbers Brace For ‘Brown Friday’
Although the Thanksgiving holiday might be a time of food, football, and family for many people, there's a price to pay for the festivity. "Brown Friday" is real and it's the busiest day of the year for many Wyoming plumbers.
Mark HeinzNovember 22, 2022
State Lands Might Be Used For Affordable Housing, Commercial Properties, Adventure Races
Wyoming legislators on Tuesday discussed opening up state lands to be used for affordable housing, commercial development like Walmarts, glamping, cell phone towers, and hosting adventure races.
Mark HeinzNovember 22, 2022
Yellowstone Floating Foot: Pathologist Says Human Body Likely Dissolved, Foot Protected By Shoe
A forensic pathologist told Cowboy State Daily that a high-quality shoe likely preserved the foot of a man who died in a Yellowstone hot pool this summer while the rest of his body completely dissolved.
Mark HeinzNovember 22, 2022
Badger Battles Skunks in Rancid Roadway Rodeo In Northeast Wyoming
A Gillette woman who captured video of three skunks and a badger fighting on a road in Crook County, Wyoming, says shed never seen anything like it. A wildlife biologist says the two species do occasionally butt heads.
Mark HeinzNovember 21, 2022
Wildlife Task Force Recommends Cranking Up Out-Of-State “Big 5” Trophy Hunting Licenses
Members of the Wyoming Wildlife Task Force said by raising the prices of out-of-state hunting licenses significantly for trophy species (bison $6,000, grizzly $7,500, if allowed), prices for Wyoming resident hunting tags would remain low.
Mark HeinzNovember 19, 2022
F-Bombs, Cut Fences, Trespassing: Animosity At Boiling Point Between Landowners & Hunters
At Friday's Wyoming Wildlife Task Force meeting, members said landowners and hunters aren't happy with each other. Members mentioned "great animosity" between the two groups.
Mark HeinzNovember 18, 2022
‘Once In A Lifetime’: Wyoming Hunter Recounts Rare Mountain Goat Get
A Laramie man told Cowboy State Daily that his 30-mile hike in 10,000+ foot terrain inhabited by grizzlies was worth it to fill his once-in-a-lifetime mountain goat tag and has photos, video and a "dork stamp" to remember it.
Mark HeinzNovember 18, 2022
Push For Grizzlies In Washington State A Sign They Should Be De-Listed, Says Wyoming Forester
Federal wildlife authorities are pushing for the reintroduction of grizzlies into the state of Washington. It could work, Wyoming outdoorsmen say, if the state is prepared -- and empowered -- to manage the bears.
Mark HeinzNovember 17, 2022
Cutting Your Own Christmas Tree, A Strong Wyoming Tradition
Despite the availability of farm-raised and artificial Christmas trees, state foresters say Wyomingites are still going out to the woods to cut their own trees.
Mark HeinzNovember 16, 2022
‘It’s Coming For Us All’: Wyoming Hunter Bags Buck, Learns It Has Wasting Disease
A Wyoming hunter said learning her deer was infected with chronic wasting disease caused her throw some of it away, and she remains on the fence about whether to consume the rest.
Mark HeinzNovember 16, 2022
Colorado Man Says He Wants To Desecrate Grave of Former Wyoming Gov. Ed Herschler
An Englewood, Colorado, man whose great-grandfather helped build the Wyoming Capitol says efforts to establish a passenger line between Denver and Salt Lake City through Wyoming were torpedoed by then-Gov. Ed Herschler, leaving him broke and still angry.
Mark HeinzNovember 16, 2022
Horse Group Says Wild Horses Aren’t The Problem, It’s Cattle That’s Destroying The Land
A horse advocacy group said Wyoming's wild horses shouldn't be seen as invasive. The problem, she said, are cattle which are more damaging to the land. Ranchers disagree.
Mark HeinzNovember 15, 2022
Now That BLM Owns Sprawling 37,000 Acre Marton Ranch, How Much Access Will Public Have?
The Wyoming public this spring will get a chance to have their say about the future of the recreational land on the Marton Ranch property near Casper. The property offers blue-ribbon fishing, big-game hunting, and hiking.
Mark HeinzNovember 15, 2022
Saratoga Deer Poaching Case Set To Be Settled Out Of Court
A pair of Saratoga men cited for killing a deer out of season have agreed to settle their cases out of court, the Wyoming Game and Fish said.
Mark HeinzNovember 15, 2022
Wyoming Hunters Say Bucks Are Great At Doing The Limbo
A video of a large mule deer buck limbo-ing his way under a metal gate is fun to watch, but not that unusual. Wyoming hunters say if they've lived that long to get that big, they've learned to be crafty to survive.
Mark HeinzNovember 11, 2022
Could Wyoming Hunters Switch From Lead Ammo To Copper Ammo? It’s Gaining Momentum.
Copper bullets might widely replace lead-core ammunition for big-game hunting in Wyoming, because of bullet performance, as well as human and wildlife health concerns, some hunters and a gunsmith said.
Mark HeinzNovember 11, 2022
Bill Would Give Wyoming Game Wardens OK To Issue Hunting Trespass Tickets
A bill to streamline the process for Wyoming game wardens to cite people for trespassing had wide support during a legislative committee meeting this week.
Mark HeinzNovember 11, 2022
What A Way To Go: ‘Krapp Strapp’ No. 1 Way For Wyo Outdoorsmen To Do No. 2, Inventor Says
Karl Brauneis, a retired forester from Lander, told Cowboy State Daily that he thought the Krapp Strapps design was ingenious but would probably continue to just search for "a good log."
Mark HeinzNovember 10, 2022
Hunting With Birds Of Prey An Art And Skill, Say Wyoming Falconers
Falconry, one of the most ancient forms of hunting small game and game birds, is still practiced in Wyoming. But dont expect the birds of prey to be pets or behave like dogs...
Mark HeinzNovember 09, 2022
Wyoming’s First Black Elected Sheriff Pledges Transparency, Focus On Mental Health Response
Newly elected Sheriff Aaron Applehans from Albany County said he was committed to transparency and direct contact with the public.
Mark HeinzNovember 09, 2022
Trey Sherwood, D-Laramie, Holds Off Republican Challenger In Close House District 14 Race
State Rep. Trey Sherwood, D-Laramie, held off strong push by Republican challenger Bryan Shuster to retain her House District 14 seat in the Wyoming Legislature on Tuesday.
Mark HeinzNovember 09, 2022