Outdoors
News

Yellowstone’s Unpredictable Black Diamond Pool Erupts Twice In Two Days
Black Diamond Pool in Yellowstone National Park has been active since its massive hydrothermal explosion in July 2024. It’s also “decidedly unpredictable,” erupting twice in two days last week, spewing mud and water 40 feet into the air.
Andrew RossiDecember 23, 2025

Lack Of Snow Cancels Yellowstone Snowmobile Tours, But Cooke City’s Been Dumped On
Snowmobile tours into Old Faithful were canceled for lack of snow, but Cooke City has been dumped on — and half the town lost power Friday. Through it all, one local turned his apartment into a makeshift restaurant to feed stranded riders.
David MadisonDecember 22, 2025

Study Reveals How Yellowstone Earthquakes Might Have Given Earth Life
New research in Yellowstone National Park has found a connection between earthquake swarms and the chemical reactions needed to sustain subsurface microbial systems. It's an insight into the possible origins of life on Earth.
Andrew RossiDecember 21, 2025

Urban Moose Named 'Big Betty' Seems Right At Home Wandering Around Evanston
A cow moose nicknamed "Big Betty" has been calmly wandering around Evanston, delighting residents and avoiding trouble. Wildlife officials say she is unusually peaceful, but still warn people to keep their distance.
Mark HeinzDecember 21, 2025

Cow Elk Stomps Mountain Lion In Desperate Bid To Save Calf
Caught between wolves, mountain lions and grizzly bears, elk are struggling to fend off predators. A trail camera video shows the elk's desperation as it viciously pummels a mountain lion that has her calf by the neck.
Mark HeinzDecember 19, 2025

Weird Bird Tornado Near Torrington Was A Wild Flight Of Starlings
A swirling “bird tornado” over farmland near Torrington turned out to be a flock of European starlings. While a sight to see, starlings are an invasive species in Wyoming that harm native birds and crops.
Mark HeinzDecember 19, 2025

New Wildlife Chief Brian Nesvik Says Grizzly Delisting Could Be Two Years Away
New U.S. wildlife chief Brian Nesvik told Cowboy State Daily on Thursday that It could take another two years to work through an analysis of the data on grizzlies and reach a final decision regarding delisting. As for hunting, he said that would be left to the states to decide.
Mark HeinzDecember 19, 2025

House Bill Targets Wolf ‘Whacking’ With Snowmobiles On Federal Land
For the second time in as many years, a bipartisan coalition introduced a bill in the U.S. House to ban using snowmobiles to run over wolves and other predators on federal lands. The act was inspired by the alleged wolf torture in Wyoming in 2024.
Mark HeinzDecember 18, 2025

Beginning Of The End For Hoback, Grand Teton National Park's Most Famous Moose
Wildlife photographers say the reign of Hoback, the most famous moose in the Grand Tetons, could be coming to an end. Estimated to be around 18 years old, he shed his antlers early this year and is suffering from a recent wolf attack.
Mark HeinzDecember 17, 2025

Largest Wildlife Crossing In U.S. Opens In Colorado But Animals Aren't Using It Yet
Work is finished on what’s being touted as North America’s largest wildlife crossing bridge south of Denver — but it’s been so warm, animals haven’t started using it yet. The 200-foot-wide, 209-foot-long Greenland overpass spans six lanes of I-25.
Mark HeinzDecember 17, 2025

Texas Hunter Shoots Buck’s Antler Off To Free It From Deadlocked Deer
A Texas hunter used his pistol to shoot off part of a buck’s antler and free it after it became entangled with a dead deer and was near death from exhaustion.
Mark HeinzDecember 17, 2025

Arctic Logjam Means Wyoming Temps In The 60s, Below Zero In Montana
While Wyoming is experiencing record high temperatures, it’s snowing and below zero in parts of Montana. Meteorologist Don Day says an “arctic logjam” is to blame.
Andrew RossiDecember 16, 2025

When A Ruffed Grouse Starts Air Drumming, He's Looking To Get It On
When a male ruffed grouse is looking for some action, he doesn't put on a Barry White record while having some Courvoisier. Instead he begins air drumming by beating the air with his wings. It’s rare to catch them in the act, as one lucky wildlife photographer did.
Mark HeinzDecember 14, 2025

Late-Season Cow Elk Hunts Fill Freezers But Test Hunters’ Grit In Wyoming
Elk hunter Ben McArthur said he appreciates availability of late-season cow elk tags in Wyoming as it's challenging. “It's fun because it matches up with holiday weekends. Weather conditions can be miserable, but if you get after it, you can be successful."
Mark HeinzDecember 14, 2025

Why A Yellowstone Grizzly Eating Bison Brains Is So Interesting
Wildlife biologists say it's rare for grizzlies to eat from the head of a bison because it would be difficult to get through the thick skull. That's what makes the instance of Ojo, a one-eyed Yellowstone bear, eating the brains of a bison so unique.
Mark HeinzDecember 14, 2025

The Legend Of The Little People Who Inhabit Wyoming's Pryor Mountains
Tales of encounters with the “little people” of Wyoming's Pryor Mountains aren’t limited to Native American lore. One professor said he knows several people in modern times who have seen the legendary creatures with their own eyes.
Wendy CorrDecember 14, 2025

Colorado Ranch Earns More Than $100,000 During Holidays Renting Reindeer
The Jessen Reindeer Ranch rents reindeer for events in northern Colorado and southern Wyoming. Raising and caring for reindeer is expensive, but can easily bring in more than $100,000 in the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Andrew RossiDecember 14, 2025

How Yellowstone Rangers Use Heavy Equipment To Drag 2,000-Pound Carcasses Away
When a 2,000-pound bison dies too close to tourist hotspots in Yellowstone National Park, rangers have to move it. That’s a big job that takes tractors, winches, and front-end loaders.
Andrew RossiDecember 14, 2025

3D-Printed Skulls Mean Hunters Don’t Have To Boil Heads To Mount Trophy Antlers
Until 3D printing technology along, hunters would boil an animal’s skinned head for hours making it easier to scrape off the remaining flesh or get a tank full of carnivorous beetles, eager to devour the flesh and brains, picking the skull clean.
Mark HeinzDecember 13, 2025

Meet 'The Boss,' Canada's Legendary 700-Pound, 28-Year-Old Grizzly Who Beat A Train
In Wyoming, the most famous bear was Grizzly 399. In Canada, it's a gigantic 700-pound grizzly known as "The Boss." Not only did he walk away after being hit by a train but biologists say he's fathered half the cubs in Banff National Park in Alberta.
Mark HeinzDecember 13, 2025

Buried In Snow, Yellowstone's Bison Have No Problems Weathering Winter
Wyoming’s Yellowstone bison look miserable when caked in snow and frost, but their thick coats, fat reserves and efficient digestion keep them warm and fueled through brutal winters. Snow acts as extra insulating layer, said one biologist.
Mark HeinzDecember 13, 2025

Moose, Wolf, Horse And Wombat Cruelty Allegations Staining Wyoming’s Reputation
The alleged torture of a moose in Uinta County is the latest in a string of Wyoming residents accused of cruelty to animals, raising concerns about the state’s reputation. “It makes us look like a bunch of freaking jackasses,” outdoorsman Zachary Key said.
Mark HeinzDecember 12, 2025

With 1,000 Logs, Project Aims To Save The Nation's Oldest Ranger Station
Crews are dropping more than 1,000 logs along the banks of the North Fork of the Shoshone River in hopes of protecting the nation’s oldest ranger station. The massive floods of 2022 caused severe erosion and the Wapiti Ranger Station is in danger of falling in.
Mark HeinzDecember 12, 2025

Glacier National Park Drops Reservation System As Crowds Keep Growing
Glacier National Park is ending its reservation system for getting into the park, which was meant to keep the park from getting mobbed. But insiders say national parks are getting overrun anyway.
Mark HeinzDecember 12, 2025
