Outdoors | Cowboy State Daily

Nathan Hunter says he practically stepped on this big mule deer buck before the buck jumped up, giving him a shot opportunity.

'Being Too Lazy' Pays Off For Hunter Who Bags Buck When It Jumps Out At Him

A hunter said laziness turned to good fortune when a big mule deer buck hunkered down in hiding jumped out of brush when he was just a few feet away. Biologists say big bucks learn that the "dirty trick" of hiding is safer during hunting season.

Mark HeinzOctober 15, 2026

The moment Luna’s owners and rescuers found her in a Missy trap on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026, after 34 days on the loose in Yellowstone National Park.

'We Got Her!’: 10 Pounds Lighter, Dog Rescued After 34 Days In Yellowstone

After surviving 34 days in Yellowstone National Park and losing 10 pounds, a 10-year-old Jack Russell terrier was safely trapped Wednesday and reunited with her family. Searchers say they had only a few days before having to suspend the search for the winter.

Emma Jane JacksonOctober 14, 2026

BLM Plans To Round Up 1,800 Mustangs In Red Desert For Adoption And Re-Sale

Wild-horse advocates say they'll be watching beginning Thursday when the BLM begins rounding up 1,800 mustangs from the Red Desert Complex for adoption and re-sale. The agency says it must reduce the herd to "sustainable levels" of 480-720 horses.

Mark HeinzOctober 14, 2026

Matthew Stowe said this elk he shot south of Chugwater seemed perfectly healthy, but it was suffering from a rare condition called “nutmeg liver.”

Hunter Kills Elk, Finds Out It Has Rare ‘Nutmeg Liver,’ Decides To Eat Meat Anyway

A Cheyenne hunter was surprised by the bizarre speckles he found on his elk’s liver, a rare condition known in the hunting community as “nutmeg liver,” which is caused by a bad heart. He decided to eat the meat anyway, which a biologist says is OK.

Mark HeinzOctober 13, 2026

The Dodge Ram pickup truck owned by Jason and Marie Ann Jaskula was totaled Thursday night after hitting a 2,000-pound bull bison in Yellowstone National Park. The bison died from its injuries.

Yellowstone Seasonal Workers Stranded After Hitting 2,000-Pound Bison, Destroying Truck

Marie Ann and Jason Jaskula totaled their Dodge Ram when hitting a 2,000-pound bull bison in Yellowstone late last week. Now they have to find a way to haul out their fifth-wheel — also their home — before the park's interior roads close soon.

Andrew RossiOctober 12, 2026

Luna, an 18-pound Jack Russell, has been loose in Yellowstone National Park since Sept. 10, and the people trying to bring her home are running out of time.

Clock Is Ticking For Tiny Terrier Missing In Yellowstone For More Than A Month

An 18-pound Jack Russell terrier escaped a cabin and has survived more than a month in Yellowstone, but the clock is ticking. Last spotted on Friday, If she isn't caught in a week, search efforts will be suspended and Luna will be on her own for the winter.

Emma Jane JacksonOctober 12, 2026

Sue, a 15-year-old palomino, went missing during a packing trip near the Bechler Ranger Station in Yellowstone’s southwest corner on Friday. The horse's owners are offering a $1,000 reward to anyone who finds and rescues the horse. "We are heartbroken, worried sick, and hoping for a good outcome," they told Cowboy State Daily.

Fully-Tacked Horse Missing Near Yellowstone's Most Remote Entrance

Another horse has gone missing and its owners desperately want it back. The 15-year-old palomino disappeared during a packing trip near Yellowstone’s most remote entrance Friday. "We are heartbroken," the owner said. “He’s very gentle and loves people."

Andrew RossiOctober 12, 2026

Marty Dupertuis Jr. bagged a huge bull elk while hunting with his dad in the South Fork near Cody.

'It Was Amazing': Autistic Teen Bags Big Bull Elk On Father-Son Hunting Trip

When autistic teen Marty Dupertuis Jr. killed a big bull elk last week, nobody was prouder than his parents, Maria and Marty Dupertuis. The Park County couple has discovered hunting is a great way to bond with their son and teach him life skills.

Mark HeinzOctober 12, 2026

Chandra Ahlquist owns Sterling Fox Taxidermy in Loveland, Colorado, where she makes floppy taxidermied animals — what she calls "the ultimate couch companions."

Colorado Woman Calls Her Floppy Taxidermy The ‘Ultimate Couch Companions’

The future of taxidermy will be cuddlier if it’s up to a Colorado woman who specializes in soft-mount animals — aka floppy taxidermy. They're as posable and huggable as a plush toy but made from real predator pelts. Why get a teddy bear when you can snuggle a coyote, she says.

Andrew RossiOctober 10, 2026

Charlie and Jo Stickney run C&J’s Bug Barn game skull cleaning business in Thermopolis.

Flesh-Eating Beetles Finish The 'Gross' Job Of Cleaning Skull Mounts For Hunters

Cleaning big-game skulls to make European mount trophies isn’t for the squeamish. Charlie Stikney of Thermopolis admits there's a "grossness" to blasting brains with compressed air, but his beetles take over from there — and hunters love the results.

Mark HeinzOctober 10, 2026

Medicine Bow National Forest Jack Creek 10 9 26

Juvenile Hunting Camp Thieves Busted After 'Several Years' Spree In Southern Wyoming

Carbon County deputies busted a ring of "juvenile" hunting camp thieves after a flurry of thefts between Sept. 15 and Oct. 1. The sheriff reported Friday that the ring had been operating for "several years." A local hunter recommends using game cameras.

Mark HeinzOctober 09, 2026

Yellowstone Mechanic Stops So He Doesn't Hit Bull Bison, Bison Hits Him Anyway

A seasonal mechanic driving through Yellowstone National Park in darkness Thursday morning stopped so he wouldn't hit a bull bison standing in the road at Mud Volcano. The bison did not return the favor, opting to smash into his truck anyway.

Andrew RossiOctober 09, 2026

Outrage, Criminal Investigation After South Dakota Man Posts Video Drowning Squirrel

A South Dakota man who filmed himself drowning a caged squirrel for several minutes, claimed it was just a "bath" and punishment for eating his apples. Subsequent outrage has led to a criminal investigation. The man wouldn't say if the squirrel died.

Emma Jane JacksonOctober 09, 2026

Grizzly bears scatter like gigantic mice at the approach of a combine in a Montana cornfield, in a video reportedly taken Thursday near the tiny Rocky Mountain Front community of Augusta.

Wow! Grizzlies in Montana Cornfield Scatter Like Mice As Rancher's Combine Nears

A farmer shot a wild video Thursday showing at least seven grizzlies scrambling like gigantic mice at the approach of his combine in a Montana cornfield near the community of Augusta. Locals say this is common for the area known as a hotbed for grizzlies.

Mark HeinzOctober 09, 2026

Bridget Gallagher, a mother of nine from Clark, shot this mountain lion late Tuesday near her family’s property.

Clark Mother Of Nine Shoots Mountain Lion Hanging Around Family's Corn Maze

A mother of nine in Clark, Wyoming, took matters into her own hands when a mountain lion was seen lurking around the family's popular corn maze and pumpkin patch. "I had never even really seen a mountain lion in person,” Bridget Gallagher said.

Mark HeinzOctober 08, 2026

A geomagnetic storm hitting Earth's atmosphere Thursday night and Friday morning, giving Wyomingites a last chance to see an aurora in nearly a decade. "You might want to get up and hope for the best," says retired state climatologist Jan Curtis.

Last Chance! Aurora Could Be Visible Over Wyoming For Final Time For A Decade

A geomagnetic storm hitting Earth's atmosphere Thursday night and Friday could give Wyomingites a last chance to see an aurora for nearly a decade. "You might want to get up and hope for the best," says retired state climatologist Jan Curtis.

Andrew RossiOctober 08, 2026

Hunter Vance McGahey said he was worried about his beloved pack goat overheating in scorching weather during a recent hunting trip in the Wind River mountains.

Scorching Heat, Even At High Altitudes, Has Hunters Passing On Shots At Elk, Deer

Even at high elevations, it's been so hot this season that Wyoming hunters aren't shooting elk because they're worried the meat will spoil. “I had to stop about every three-quarters of a mile and let them cool off," one hunter said about his pack goats.

Mark HeinzOctober 08, 2026

A herd of bison stampede through and over a fence in Grand Teton National Park this week

Stampeding Herd Of Bison Breaks Through Fence In Grand Teton National Park

A Teton County wildlife guide captured dramatic video of a stampeding herd of bison breaking through a fence at Elk Ranch Flats in Grand Teton National Park. “I've never seen so many bison running at that speed for that sustained amount of time,” he said.

Andrew RossiOctober 08, 2026

A large bull moose was stuck for hours in a Red Lodge, Montana, skate park on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026.

Bull Moose Rescued After Stuck For Hours In Montana Skate Park

A bull moose that got stuck in a skate park in Red Lodge, Montana, prompted an hourslong, multi-agency effort to get it out Wednesday that ended when the tranquilized animal was pulled out. “It’s been an exciting day in Red Lodge,” said one resident.

Andrew RossiOctober 07, 2026

Idaho Man Hospitalized After Tackling Black Bear In Home To Save Family

A Salmon, Idaho, man tackled a black bear that broke into his home, then wrestled the animal in their yard to protect his family. The man is recovering in a hospital and three bears were euthanized. "I think instinct took over," a family friend said.

Kaitlyn Hart & EastIdahoNews.comOctober 06, 2026

This moose, called The Beast, is on par with famous Teton titan bulls such as Hoback and Shoshone. But he’s on private property and doesn’t have to deal with mobs of tourists.

'The Beast' Is A Monster Wyoming Bull Moose, But Good Luck Getting A Glimpse

A bull moose called The Beast is huge enough to have a shot at dethroning Grand Teton celebrity bulls such as Hoback and Shoshone. But few see him because he lives on private property in southwest Wyoming, far away from wildlife paparazzi — and hunters.

Mark HeinzOctober 05, 2026

Every September, the park hosts its annual Buffalo Roundup, when riders on horseback gather the free-roaming bison scattered across the park and drive them into corrals. The South Dakota park plans to auction more than 600 bison this year, up from previous years due to drought conditions.

Drought Forcing Custer State Park To Auction Off At Least 600 South Dakota Bison

South Dakota's Custer State Park will auction off at least 600 bison next month, a 38% increase from last year because of drought conditions on the range. “Ultimately, the purpose of the auction is herd management,” said a state parks spokesman.

Kate MeadowsOctober 05, 2026

A group of 50-year buddies on a horseback ride through rugged Wyoming backcountry went sideways when one was thrown from his horse and lay motionless in the dirt. Fortunately, one of those friends is John Williams, a combat-veteran Navy doctor.

Doctor Saves 50-Year Friend After Fall From Horse In Rugged Wyoming Backcountry

A group of 50-year buddies on a horseback ride through rugged Wyoming backcountry became immediate emergency responders when one was thrown from his horse and lay motionless in the dirt. Fortunately, one of those friends is a combat-veteran Navy doctor.

Kolby FedoreOctober 05, 2026

Volunteers load the carcasses of sheep killed by lightning on Sept. 23 in Montana’s Gravelly Range mountains into a trailer bound for a carcass composting site.

After Lightning Bolt Kills 220 Sheep, Carcass Composters Spring Into Action

When a bolt of lightning killed 220 sheep in southwest Montana’s remote Gravelly Range last month, it left the area littered with piles of electrocuted carcasses. The race was on to remove them before they became a magnet for hungry grizzly bears.

Mark HeinzOctober 04, 2026