Outdoors
News
Population Boom Means There Are Tons Of Turkeys For Wyoming Hunters
There’s never been a better time to take up turkey hunting in Wyoming. A population boom means there are tons of wild turkeys around for the spring season.
Mark HeinzMay 13, 2025
Short $16M In Federal Money In Limbo, Wildlife Crossing Near Dubois On Hold
Roughly $16 million in federal funding is on hold for a $28 million wildlife crossing along U.S. Highway 26 near Dubois. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department and others are determined to push the project forward anyway.
Mark HeinzMay 13, 2025
Motorists Play Frogger With Falling Rocks In Wyoming’s Wind River Canyon In Spring
Spring means Wyoming’s Wind River Canyon Scenic Byway is at its most spectacular. It’s also the peak time for rockslides, meaning motorists on U.S. 20 play Frogger with falling rocks and mud.
Jackie DorothyMay 13, 2025
Ornery Bison Don't Just Gore People, They Break Bones And Crush Organs
Most bison “goring” attacks involve massive blunt force trauma, not people getting skewered by horns in the torso. An emergency room doctor says people who get too close can suffer broken bones, crushed organs and also can take a horn to the butt.
Mark HeinzMay 12, 2025
Explore Wyoming: Deep Into Spirit Mountain Cave Above Cody
Not only is Spirit Mountain Cave above Cody full of history, it’s a passageway into a mysterious and dark underworld where even night goggles won't work. Only a few hundred people explore these caves every year.
Leo WolfsonMay 11, 2025
Latest Tactic To Keep Wolves Away From Livestock: Dive-Bomb Them With Drones
Dive-bombing wolves with drones equipped with lights and speakers have scared them away from cattle in Oregon and a wolf conservation advocate hopes to work with ranchers in Colorado and Wyoming to see if drones have a similar effect here.
Mark HeinzMay 11, 2025
Cannabis Sellers Warn Against Taking Marijuana Into Yellowstone
Smoking pot is legal in some states, but it’s not in Yellowstone. That's why West Yellowstone cannabis sellers warn against taking marijuana into the park as it becomes a federal crime -- and the charges can be harsh.
David MadisonMay 11, 2025
Bikepackers Explore Wyoming’s Famous Red Desert In New Documentary
People driving on WYO 28 outside of Lander are awed by the views of Red Canyon, but few have taken the time to explore it. Four bikepackers decided to do just that and their journey can be seen in a new documentary now on Wyoming PBS.
Amber SteinmetzMay 10, 2025
Casper-Based Company Wants To End Feuding Between Hunters, Landowners
Tensions between landowners and hunters seeking access to game herds are nothing new, even leading to national attention for Wyoming’s high-profile “corner-crossing” case. A Casper-based company thinks it’s found the solution.
Mark HeinzMay 09, 2025
Helicopter Drops Christmas Trees Into Popular Montana Lake To Save Yellow Perch
Walleyes were gobbling up too many yellow perch in Montana’s Canyon Ferry Lake. So, state officials started dropping old Christmas trees into water to provide spawning habitat and shelter for perch hatchlings.
Mark HeinzMay 08, 2025
Yellowstone Bison Goring The Latest In A Bad Week For Floridians Vs. Wildlife
A Florida man who was gored by a bison in Yellowstone on Wednesday was lucky. Another Floridian was killed by a bear this week, and yet another by an alligator.
Mark HeinzMay 08, 2025
Wandering Colorado Wolf Transplanted From Canada Logs 1,230 Miles Around State
Colorado’s reintroduced wolves have been making tracks all over the state, including one female that’s logged more than 1,200 miles. At least two are also known to have ranged into Wyoming.
Mark HeinzMay 07, 2025
Florida Man Is First Bison Goring Of The Season At Yellowstone National Park
A 47-year-old man from Florida was gored when he got too close to a bison at Yellowstone National Park on Sunday. The National Park Service reported the goring Wednesday, confirming it’s the first of the season after two gorings in 2024.
Clair McFarland & Mark HeinzMay 07, 2025
Grizzly 399 Offspring Hit And Killed By Car In Grand Teton
Grizzly 1058, a male from Grizzly 399’s famed 2020 litter of quadruplets, was confirmed dead on Tuesday, after apparently being hit by a vehicle in Grand Teton National Park.
Mark HeinzMay 07, 2025
Vandals Break Into South Dakota BLM Area, Drive Heavy Equipment Into Ditch
Vandals broke into a South Dakota public recreation area near the Wyoming border over the weekend and drove several construction vehicles into a ditch. It’s another instance of vandalism on public lands that has Wyoming contractors watching.
Andrew RossiMay 06, 2025
Huge "Once-In-A-Decade" Fireball Seen Over Wyoming, Other Western States
Hundreds of people reported seeing a huge purple-green fireball streak over several Western states Saturday night. The “once-in-a-decade” event displayed a spectacular spectrum of colors as it burned across the sky.
Andrew RossiMay 05, 2025
History Says Yellowstone, Grand Teton Parks Can Expect More Than 8.4M Visitors
The superintendents of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks are predicting an “outstanding” summer despite staff cuts to the federal parks system that have worried many outdoor enthusiasts.
Andrew RossiMay 05, 2025
Ringtail, Rare In Wyoming, Spotted Near Baggs — And Game And Fish Wants It
Ringtails, a distant cousin of raccoons, are a rare sight in Wyoming. A Baggs-area family spotted and photographed one, and Game and Fish hope to trap and release it somewhere safe from dogs.
Mark HeinzMay 05, 2025
Wyoming’s Teton County Is World's First DarkSky-Certified County
The town of Jackson and Teton County became official International DarkSky Communities for efforts to reduce light pollution. While many towns have the DarkSky certification, this is the first time for an entire county.
Andrew RossiMay 04, 2025
Expect More E-Bikes Than Ever On Wyoming Trails This Summer
From a new trail system in the Bighorns to a revised e-bike policy for U.S. Forest Service trails around Jackson, summer in Wyoming appears poised to bring out more e-bikers than ever.
David MadisonMay 04, 2025
Yellowstone Makes Earthquakes With 53,000-Pound Vibrator Truck To Study Volcano
Yellowstone is using a 53,000-pound vibrator truck to create custom-made earthquakes to study the supervolcano the park sits on. It’s a sophisticated machine that reveals what’s hidden miles underground.
Andrew RossiMay 04, 2025
Laramie Climber Wants Sixth Shot To Summit Highest Peak In Myanmar
Laramie's Mark Jenkins has tried five times to reach the highest peak in Myanmar. Although a successful summit has been elusive, if the political climate changes, the 66-year-old elite climber said he would try a sixth time “in a heartbeat.”
Jackie DorothyMay 03, 2025
Proposal To Change Landowner Hunting Tags Targets ‘Hunting Club’ Market
A proposal to more than double the amount of land needed to qualify for landowner hunting tags would favor Wyomingites over out-of-staters, supporters say.
Mark HeinzMay 02, 2025
Daring Coyote Bites Grizzly 610 On The Butt — Without Getting Torn To Shreds
A coyote wasn’t about to let Grizzly 610, one of Wyoming’s most famous bears, get away with raiding its food along the Snake River on Monday. The coyote boldly snuck up and bit her on the butt — then avoided getting torn to shreds by the annoyed bear.
Mark HeinzMay 02, 2025
Cody Woman First In Line For Yellowstone's East Opening For 7th Straight Year
For the seventh straight year, Stacy Boisseau of Cody was the first in line for Friday’s opening of the East Entrance to Yellowstone National Park. This was her first time solo with her three girls now older and doing their own things.
Andrew RossiMay 02, 2025
Mapping Countless Miles Of Fence Could Save Wyoming Wildlife From Gruesome Deaths
Wyoming deer, elk and antelope can suffer gruesome deaths when they get entangled, so mapping out the state's countless miles of fences are can help save wildlife, researchers believe.
Mark HeinzMay 01, 2025
Video Shows Bruno, Sire Of Many Of Grizzly 399’s Cubs, Isn't Great At Ice Fishing
Bruno the grizzly — best known for likely fathering many of Grizzly 399's cubs — recently tried his paws at ice fishing. While Alaska bears feast on fish, biologists say it’s a rare sight for bears in Grand Teton, and video shows Bruno's not great at it.
Mark HeinzMay 01, 2025
A Dozen Antelope Illegally Shot Near Kemmerer, Including Several Left Suffering
In an apparent case of mass wildlife thrill killing, 12 antelope were shot near Kemmerer, including several that were wounded and left to suffer, Wyoming Game and Fish reported.
Mark HeinzApril 30, 2025
Frustrated Californians Say Protected Wolves Have Them ‘Under Siege’
Frustrated Californians in Sierra County report wolves have them "under siege," attacking cattle and making their way into neighborhoods, including an elk slaughtered on someone's front porch. Wolves are protected in California, so nobody can touch them.
Mark HeinzApril 30, 2025
Fremont County, Casper Have Cleanest Air In The U.S., Lung Association Says
The American Lung Association has named Fremont County and Casper as having the cleanest air in the United States for year-round particles. Casper tied with Honolulu for the No. 1 ranking on the list of cleanest cities for year-round particle pollution.
David MadisonApril 29, 2025
Game And Fish Sick Of People Blasting Their Signs With Gunfire
Shooting signs might seem like a redneck cultural tradition, but it costs taxpayers big money. It’s also prompted Wyoming Game and Fish to close some public recreation areas to shooting.
Mark HeinzApril 28, 2025
Montana Anglers Fend Off Charging Grizzly With Gunfire
Two anglers were charged by a grizzly and scared it off by shooting at it in the popular Red Rocks Lakes National Wildlife refuge in southwest Montana. It’s another area where grizzlies are expanding their range.
Mark HeinzApril 28, 2025
Rumbling Alaska Volcano On Watch For Eruption That Could Impact Wyoming
Mount Spurr, a volcano 78 miles from Anchorage, is being monitored for signs of a possible eruption. If it blows, Mount Spurr could impact air quality and economic distress that could reach to Wyoming and much of the world.
Andrew RossiApril 27, 2025
Rustic Airbnb RV And Cabin Rentals Are For Those Not Quite Ready To Rough It
As Wyoming continues to draw outdoors thrill-seekers, one entrepreneur thinks he’s found the ideal niche market. Airbnb-style rentals for people who want to avoid the mobs but aren’t quite ready to rough it.
Mark HeinzApril 26, 2025
When Hunters Would Massacre Entire Flocks Of Waterfowl With Giant Punt Guns
Punt guns are essentially waterborne cannons that can slaughter up to 100 waterfowl in a single blast. Because punt guns were so devastating to the bird populations, some states started banning them for hunting as far back as 1860.
Mark HeinzApril 26, 2025
Just As Rattlesnake Season Starts In Wyoming, Pet Vaccine Drying Up
A vaccine that helps protect dogs against rattlesnake venom might soon be unavailable, just as rattlesnake season begins in Wyoming.
Mark HeinzApril 25, 2025
Study Says One Wolf Can Cost Ranchers More Than $160,000 In Losses
Wolves in California are costing ranchers millions of dollars far beyond just the price of cattle killed, according to a new study. A Wyoming rancher says the secondary costs of predation are well-known here.
Mark HeinzApril 25, 2025
Proposed Limits On Landowner Hunting Tags Could Cut Out Many Property Owners
Hunters worry that a plan to more than double the amount of land that people need to own to qualify for landowner hunting tags could cut out property owners across Wyoming.
Mark HeinzApril 24, 2025
Local Rancher Not Surprised Anatolian Pyrenees Dog Rescued Lost Arizona Toddler
Montana rancher Lauren Stoddard told Cowboy State Daily that she wasn’t the least bit surprised by the account of an Anatolian Pyrenees rescuing a lost toddler in Arizona this month. “These dogs identify need," Stoddard said.
Mark HeinzApril 24, 2025
New Ammo Sales Restriction In Colorado Could Push More Customers To Wyoming
A new Colorado law will require retailers to lock up the ammunition in their stores. A Wyoming gun store manager says Colorado’s firearms policies could push more customers toward Wyoming.
Mark HeinzApril 23, 2025
Wyoming Rancher Worries More Elk Tags Will Make Herds Hide From Hunters
Elk hunters in northeast Wyoming are facing a quandary — how to give hunters access to kill enough elk to keep the herds in check. An area rancher worries more tags will make the herds hide from hunters.
Mark HeinzApril 23, 2025
Red-Vested Dogs Deploy Around Wyoming And The World To Help Save Wildlife
Conservation dogs are easily identifiable by their red vests and noses to the ground. They’re trained to sniff out invasive plants, identify other animals and can even intercept poachers.
Anna-Louise JacksonApril 23, 2025
With Federal Grants In Question, Wyoming Wildlife Crossing Projects Are On Hold
With federal grants frozen as the Trump administration combs through federal budgets, some major Wyoming wildlife crossing projects are on hold.
Mark HeinzApril 22, 2025
Horizontal Drilling Could Keep Wyoming’s ‘Path Of The Pronghorn’ Clear
Protecting the “Path of the Pronghorn” migration route is vital for the Sublette antelope herd, which is a national treasure, a biologist says. Drilling technology could help keep the path clear for Wyoming’s prized pronghorn.
Mark HeinzApril 22, 2025
Rare Black Fox Pops Out Along Roadside In Yellowstone
A fox with rare black fur made a brief roadside appearance in Yellowstone National Park last week. The fox’s coloring is probably the result of a condition called melanism.
Mark HeinzApril 21, 2025
Ravens Attack Lambs, But Are Protected In Wyoming, So You Can’t Shoot Them
With calving and lambing season underway, Wyoming ranchers must fend off predators. Ravens are among the worst with their attacks on lambs, but can’t be shot because they’re a protected species.
Mark HeinzApril 20, 2025
Yellowstone's Shoshone Lake Is The Largest Backcountry Lake In The Lower 48
Shoshone Lake in Yellowstone National Park is huge, but it’ll take some work to get there. There are no roads to it, which makes it the largest backcountry lake in the Lower 48. But it’s worth the effort to get there for a serene, secluded experience.
Andrew RossiApril 19, 2025
Group Wants Nearly 1,200 Grizzlies In California, But Could It Actually Happen?
A new study from a group that wants grizzlies reintroduced to California claims the state could handle nearly 1,200 bears. Wildlife officials say that’s unrealistic.
Mark HeinzApril 19, 2025
Protecting Wyoming Pronghorn A Balancing Act Of Conservation, Energy Development
The “Path of the Pronghorn,” one of Wyoming’s most-used antelope travel routes, could be designated as an official migration corridor, possibly restricting energy development.
Mark HeinzApril 19, 2025
Momma Black Bear, Tiny Cub Caught Crawling Out Of Their Yellowstone Den
Female bears with cubs usually don’t emerge from hibernation until May. But a lucky photographer got photos when one momma black bear was "like a sloth" venturing out of the den early with at least one tiny cub Monday in Yellowstone National Park.
Mark HeinzApril 18, 2025
Limpy, Yellowstone’s Infamous Coyote Con Artist, Is At It Again
Limpy the coyote is Yellowstone National Park’s greatest con artist. He hangs out along the roadside, greatly exaggerating a leg injury, hoping to get snacks from soft-hearted tourists.
Mark HeinzApril 17, 2025
Montana Hunter Kills Charging Grizzly In Year’s First Reported Human-Bear Clash
In the first reported major run-in between a grizzly and a human this year, a man hunting shed antlers in north-central Montana shot and killed a female grizzly bear that he says charged him.
Mark HeinzApril 15, 2025
Steamboat Geyser — World’s Tallest — Blasts Off For Second Time In 2025
The eruption of Yellowstone’s Steamboat Geyser on Monday is its second of 2025 and suggests that the world's tallest active geyser may be getting more regular. Sometimes going years between eruptions, it seems to be spouting off more consistently.
Andrew RossiApril 15, 2025
Famous Yellowstone Wolf Pack Hunting Calf Nearly Clobbered By Adult Bison
Yellowstone National Park’s Junction Butte wolf pack failed in a recent attempt to bring down a yearling bison calf. The calf and its mother ran to a group of adult bison, which in turn tried to clobber the wolves.
Mark HeinzApril 15, 2025
It’s Legal To Own Kangaroos In Wyoming, But They’d Probably Freeze To Death
There seems to be some confusion over whether it’s legal to own a kangaroo in Wyoming. It is — but you’ll need a special permit, and as mostly outside pets, kangaroos probably couldn’t handle the Wyoming cold.
Mark HeinzApril 14, 2025
Agencies Tight-Lipped About Second Colorado Wolf Killed In Wyoming
A Wyoming law that protects the identities of wolf hunters seems to be behind an information blackout about the second Colorado wolf killed in Wyoming. That has people in both states frustrated.
Mark HeinzApril 14, 2025
Mountain Lions Blamed For Killing More Deer Than They Actually Do, Hunters Say
It’s widely assumed that an adult mountain lion kills a deer a week, but some seasoned mountain lion hunters question that. They say the big cats are blamed for killing more deer than they actually do.
Mark HeinzApril 13, 2025
Visitors Hold Spontaneous Cleanup Of Trashed Idaho Hot Spring
Piles of trash are the last thing anyone wants to see when visiting a hot spring. When it happened recently at Carey Hot Springs in Idaho, random hot springers banded together for a spontaneous cleanup.
David MadisonApril 13, 2025
Yellowstone's Poison Parsnips Can Fool Foragers — And Are Frequently Fatal
Water hemlock is considered the deadliest plant in North America, and these poison parsnips have caused at least two fatalities in Yellowstone National Park. The highly toxic roots can be mistaken for parsnips or carrots.
Andrew RossiApril 12, 2025
Momma Bobcat Makes Incredible Leap To Snag Turkey Out Of The Air
A trail camera captured a rare wildlife moment in Oregon, where a bobcat was recorded making an incredible leap to snag a wild turkey, mid-air. The video won the Trail Cam Pro 2025 video of the year award.
Mark HeinzApril 12, 2025
Dire Wolves Would Destroy Everything If Reintroduced In Wyoming, Biologists Say
A bioscience company’s announcement this week that it’s brought back long-extinct dire wolves raised a lot of eyebrows. But they would destroy everything if a breeding population of them were reintroduced in Wyoming, biologists say.
Mark HeinzApril 12, 2025
Second Colorado Wolf Reintroduced From Canada Dies In Wyoming
A second wolf that was transplanted from British Columbia, Canada, to Colorado crossed the state line into Wyoming and died here Wednesday, Colorado wildlife officials confirmed Friday.
Mark HeinzApril 12, 2025
52-Year-Old Federally-Led Grizzly Study Team May Be On Chopping Block
A federally-led grizzly bear study team that goes back to 1973 could soon be on the chopping block because of ongoing federal cuts. It’s unclear what that might mean for the future of Wyoming’s grizzlies.
Mark HeinzApril 11, 2025
West Yellowstone Residents Share Their Homes With Herds Of Backyard Bison
Yellowstone National Park's bison are mostly contained to the park, but West Yellowstone, Montana, is one place where they roam freely. At wildlife photographer Trent Sizemore’s house, these backyard bison spar on the lawn and lounge in the driveway.
Andrew RossiApril 09, 2025
USAF Tested Its B-58 Jet Bomber By Ejecting A Bear Named Yogi At 35,000 Feet
In 1962, the Air Force ejected a bear named Yogi from a jet bomber going 870 mph at an altitude of 35,000 feet. In hindsight, a retired USAF colonel questions how anyone thought that was a good idea.
Mark HeinzApril 08, 2025
Dire Wolves Resurrected From Prehistoric DNA As ‘World’s First De-Extinct Animals’
A company revealed Monday it’s created the “world’s first de-extinct animals,” two wolf pups genetically modified to resemble extinct dire wolves. The same company has said it also may soon "resurrect" woolly mammoths.
Andrew RossiApril 08, 2025
Yellowstone’s Blacktail Pond Is A Bison Death Trap, But A Buffet For Bears
The Blacktail Pond area in Yellowstone National Park can be a death trap for bison if they fall through ice or get trapped in muddy water and drown. But for the area's bears, it's a buffet.
Mark HeinzApril 07, 2025
Fearless Skunk Caught Stashing Its Dinner Of Roadkill In Mountain Lion’s Den
Skunks will eat just about anything and they’re fearless, as evidenced by a video of a skunk stashing its dinner of roadkill turkey in a mountain lion’s den.
Mark HeinzApril 07, 2025
Helicopter Plucks Trees From Colorado State Parks Like An Arcade Claw Game
Colorado Parks and Wildlife is using a contraption slung under a helicopter to pluck dead trees out of a state park, not unlike “claw machine” arcade games.
Mark HeinzApril 06, 2025
When Hunting Black Bears In Wyoming, Don’t Get Mauled By A Hangry Grizzly
After a relatively mild winter, Wyoming hunters are looking forward to spring black bear season. But lots of hangry and irritated grizzlies are out there, too.
Mark HeinzApril 05, 2025
Think You Can Survive A Charging Grizzly? Take On Wyoming’s ‘Robobear’
Think you can survive a charging grizzly just because you have bear spray with you? Wyoming Game and Fish’s “Robobear” is an eye-opener, as Cowboy State Daily reporters Clair McFarland and Mark Heinz recently learned.
Mark Heinz & Clair McFarlandApril 05, 2025
During Brutal Winter Die-Off, Antelope Got Lost, Trapped By Fences And Roads
Many of the antelope that froze or starved during the brutal winter of 2022-2023 got lost and died after they hit fences they couldn’t cross, according to a new University of Wyoming-led study.
Mark HeinzApril 04, 2025
Grizzly Killed A Man In Yellowstone In 1916, So They Blew It Up With Dynamite
The first documented fatal grizzly attack in Yellowstone National Park was in 1916 by a bear dubbed Old Two Toes. Federal workers responded by blowing the grizzly into oblivion using a garbage barrel booby-trapped with dynamite.
Mark HeinzApril 04, 2025
Yellowstone's First ‘Red Dog’ Bison Calf Of 2025 Comes Early
Yellowstone's first bison calf of 2025 was spotted in the Lamar Valley on Sunday, making it an early addition to the park's bison herds. A Wyoming photographer got photos of the first “red dog” of the season.
Andrew RossiApril 04, 2025
Sweetwater County Turns To Hageman For Help On BLM Rock Springs Plan
It remains uncertain how the Bureau of Land Management’s plan for 3.6 million acres in south-central Wyoming will pan out. But Sweetwater County officials hope it stays to their liking.
Mark HeinzApril 02, 2025
Grizzly Chased From Old Faithful By Ornery Yellowstone Bison Herd
Yellowstone grizzlies may be at the top of the food chain, but even the apex predator has to think twice about tangling with a herd of ornery bison. The Old Faithful webcam Monday caught the herd sending a grizzly running for cover.
Andrew RossiMarch 31, 2025
Missouri Trainer Wants All The Wyoming Curly-Haired Mustangs She Can Get
A Missouri horse trainer says she’ll take all the curly-haired Wyoming mustangs she can get. She says they’d be perfect for a prisoner-rehabilitation program similar to what the Wyoming Honor Farm has.
Mark HeinzMarch 30, 2025
Butte Man’s Epic Canoe Trip From Montana To The Pacific Made Into Movie
For a guy who goes by “Mountain King” online, Robert Lester finds it a bit “crazy” that he’s become known for canoeing. His epic 52-day canoe trip from Butte, Montana, to the Pacific Ocean has been made into a documentary.
Anna-Louise JacksonMarch 30, 2025
Thousands Of Cranes Pour Into Wyoming For Spring Migration, Even A Few Whoopers
Sandhill cranes are pouring into Wyoming by the thousands during spring migration. A few rare whooping cranes are showing up too. Many cranes come here to nest and raise their young.
Mark HeinzMarch 29, 2025
People Love Spotting ‘Sitting Sasquatch Tree’ On Yellowstone Webcams
GeyserTimes is more than a real-time view of Yellowstone National Park, it's a venue for park fans to share data and banter about their favorite spot on the planet. Wildlife, geysers and even the “Sitting Sasquatch Tree” are favorites on its webcams.
Andrew RossiMarch 29, 2025
Wyoming Remains Huge Gap In 3,700-Mile Cross-Country Trail System
An ambitious effort to build more than 3,700 miles of trails across 12 states and Washington, D.C., moves ahead. But Wyoming remains a huge gap in connecting the West and East coasts.
Dale KillingbeckMarch 29, 2025
If Feds Delist Wolves Everywhere, Will Colorado’s Reintroduction Program Crash?
A push is underway to get wolves delisted from federal protection across the Lower 48, but it remains unclear how that might affect wolf management policies in Wyoming and Colorado.
Mark HeinzMarch 28, 2025
Man In Bear Suit Scares Off Black Bear; He’s Lucky It Wasn’t A Wyoming Grizzly
A North Carolina man uses a bear suit to scare black bears off his lawn. Some Wyomingites said trying that with a grizzly would be insane. They could maul you, or worse, try to get frisky.
Mark HeinzMarch 27, 2025
New Herd In Wyoming’s Red Desert Could Save Yellowstone Bison From Inbreeding
Yellowstone’s bison have merged into a “single breeding population,” according to a new study. Because of that, it might be necessary at some point to establish new herds in places like Wyoming’s Red Desert to prevent inbreeding.
Mark HeinzMarch 26, 2025
After 22 Years, A First For WYDOT Snowplow Driver — He Gets Stuck In A Drift
In what he calls a "humbling experience,” a veteran WYDOT snowplow driver got his plow stuck for the first time in 22 years Monday. He was trying to get through a 4-foot-deep drift blocking both lanes.
Andrew RossiMarch 25, 2025
Yellowstone Pool That Exploded Last Summer Is Still Closed — And Still Exploding
Black Diamond Pool in Yellowstone National Park has been closed since it violently exploded last July. As the park prepares for the summer tourism season, it remains closed — and is still exploding.
Andrew RossiMarch 25, 2025
Rock Springs Land Use Plan On Hold As Congress Revises BLM Western Priorities
Hope is running high in southwest Wyoming that millions of acres of federal land won’t be locked up as Harriet Hageman pushes Congress to revise Bureau of Land Management plans across the West.
Mark HeinzMarch 24, 2025
There Hasn't Been A New Name In Yellowstone In 25 Years (And May Never Happen Again)
Even when new thermal features appear in Yellowstone National Park, they are unlikely to get named. Getting a new name in Yellowstone is a lengthy process that hasn't happened in two decades — and might never happen again.
Andrew RossiMarch 23, 2025
There’s A $10,000 Fish Waiting To Be Caught In Montana’s Flathead Lake
Montana’s Flathead Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake in the Western U.S. and has always been a big draw for anglers. There’s another reason to drop a line — there’s a $10,000 fish waiting to be caught, two fish worth $5,000 each, and five fish tagged for $1,000 each.
Anna-Louise JacksonMarch 23, 2025
Yellowstone Volcanologist Says Claims Of 1,000-Year Volcano Eruption "A Bunch Of Garbage"
Media hype that a volcano in Washington is about to blow up after 1,000 years is “garbage,” says Mike Poland, scientist-in-charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. Because Yellowstone sits on an active supervolcano, scientists monitor what might trigger it, and he says this isn't it.
Andrew RossiMarch 23, 2025
Why Bighorn Sheep Heads Don’t Explode When They Violently Smash Into Each Other
The violence of bighorn sheep smashing their heads together, focusing 2,000 pounds of pressure delivered at 30 mph, can make one wonder how their heads don’t explode. The basic answer is their thick horns and skulls are basically crash helmets.
Andrew RossiMarch 22, 2025
If Colorado Wolves Keep Crossing Into Wyoming, They Might Not Last Long
A transplanted wolf showing up in Wyoming wasn’t unexpected, neither was it being killed for preying on livestock. With Wyoming’s shoot-on-sight policy for wolves in most of the state, that’s not likely to change.
Mark HeinzMarch 21, 2025
Taking Benadryl For Rattlesnake Bites Can Get You Killed, Medical Expert Says
An online rumor that children’s Benadryl can save people from rattlesnake bites has gone viral around Wyoming. But it’s false, and a medical expert says taking it after a rattler bites could get you killed.
Mark HeinzMarch 21, 2025
Former Wyoming Resident Busted For Illegal Deer Killing 26 Years Later
A former Wyoming resident who had moved to Alabama was busted for illegally killing a deer 26 years after the fact, and after dodging a bench warrant for 24 years.
Mark HeinzMarch 20, 2025
Transplanted Colorado Wolf Killed In Wyoming Had Been Attacking Sheep
A wolf from Colorado that killed five sheep in north-central Wyoming was killed by USDA Wildlife Services on Saturday. It was one of the wolves brought into Colorado from British Columbia and released there as part of that state's reintroduction program.
Mark HeinzMarch 20, 2025
Federal Court To Decide Fate Of Wyoming’s Rare Curly-Haired Wild Mustangs
A panel of three federal judges in 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver is considering whether mustangs, including rare curly-haired horses, will be rounded up and removed from southwest Wyoming.
Mark HeinzMarch 19, 2025
Watch Is On For 399’s Cub Spirit: If He Survived, Will Anyone Recognize Him?
Grief over the death of Wyoming’s Grizzly 399 was tempered by hope that her cub, Spirit, might survive on his own. But even if he did, it might be impossible to distinguish Spirit from any other 2-year-old grizzly.
Mark HeinzMarch 18, 2025
Federal Court Sides With Hunters In Wyoming Corner-Crossing Case
A federal appeals court Tuesday ruled in favor of four hunters who “corner-crossed” to access public land next to a Wyoming ranch in 2021. The ruling could have broad implications for public lands use.
Mark HeinzMarch 18, 2025
Wyoming Baby Wombat Grabber Fires Back At Australia
A Wyoming-based social media influencer who set off international outrage after reportedly grabbing a baby wombat in Australia is firing back, stating that Australia’s government slaughters wombats by the thousands.
Mark HeinzMarch 17, 2025
Oops! Devils Tower Says Overnight Closure Temporary, Not Permanent
Devils Tower admits to having an oops moment last week when it announced the national monument would no longer be open 24/7. The overnight closure is temporary though March 30, not permanent.
Greg JohnsonMarch 17, 2025
Tick Bite Victims Say Resulting Diseases Caused Them Years Of Misery
As tick season nears, victims told Cowboy State Daily about years of suffering, and the frustration of going to one doctor after another – with baffling symptoms – and still not getting a proper diagnosis.
Mark HeinzMarch 16, 2025
Why Wolves In Wyoming Aren’t Attacking And Killing People Like They Are In India
While a district in northern India is reeling from wolf attacks that have killed at least 10 people, many of them children, wildlife biologists say the chances of humans being attacked by wolves in Wyoming remain virtually zero.
Mark HeinzMarch 15, 2025
Crews With Trucks And Chainsaws Have Begun Months-Long Process Of Clearing Yellowstone Roads
Construction vehicles outfitted with snowplows and blowers have started the months-long process of clearing roads in Yellowstone National Park. Crews also use chainsaws and avalanches to move massive amounts of snow.
Andrew RossiMarch 15, 2025
Well-Known Bear Likely First Grizzly Caught On Video This Year, Near West Yellowstone
Photographers believe the grizzly seen ambling past a trail camera on Thursday night in Yellowstone is the same huge male that is often one of the first bears to make an appearance each spring.
Mark HeinzMarch 14, 2025
First Grizzly of 2025 Awake, Hungry And Cranky In Yellowstone
The National Park Service on Wednesday reported fresh grizzly tracks have been spotted in the northern section of Yellowstone National Park. That's the first sign grizzlies have emerged from winter hibernation and are likely very hungry.
Andrew RossiMarch 14, 2025
Australian Prime Minister Blasts Wyoming Outdoors Influencer For Grabbing Baby Wombat
Australians, including the prime minister, are livid at a Wyoming-based social media influencer, after a video surfaced of her grabbing a baby wombat. Samantha Strable, who has lived in Pinedale, could lose her visa as a result.
Mark HeinzMarch 14, 2025
Massive Alaskan Avalanche Claims Three On Mountains Wyomingite Helped Popularize
An enormous avalanche killed three men on Alaska’s Chugach Range early this month, a popular ski region for heli-skiiers. A Jackson guide was among the pioneers to develop the region’s thriving helicopter-skiing industry.
David MadisonMarch 13, 2025
As Ticks Begin To Emerge in Wyoming, Entomologists On Lookout For Two New Species
Wyoming entomologists say ticks are beginning to come out and are warning about two new species that are particularly awful. One carries Lyme disease and the other likes to “chase you down.”
Mark HeinzMarch 12, 2025
Driskill Calls Closure Of Devils Tower “Stupidity At Highest Levels”
State Sen. Ogden Driskill on Wednesday said the overnight closure of Devils Tower “stupidity at its highest level.” The lawmaker who lives next to the monument said Devils Tower has been open 24 hours a day for more than 50 years.
Andrew RossiMarch 12, 2025
Bald Eagle Won’t Let Go Of Its Dinner, Turns Roadkill Skunk Into A Snowboard
A bald eagle riding a dead skunk like a snowboard isn’t something you see every day, but a woman in Maine got it on video. It also doesn’t surprise Wyoming raptor experts, because eagles really like to cling to their food.
Mark HeinzMarch 12, 2025
Bison Burgers And Steaks Are Part Of Yellowstone Herd Management Plan
The annual buffalo harvest is underway just outside Yellowstone National Park. The controversial program delivers organic meat to Montana tribes and draws critics calling for an end to thinning the park’s bison herd.
David MadisonMarch 11, 2025
Trees Fused Together By Common Branch Extremely Rare, Sometimes Helped By Humans
Trees fused together in an “H” shape, with a single huge branch between them, are extremely rare, tree experts say, but they do happen. Horticulturalist Shane Smith told Cowboy State Daily usually there's some degree of human manipulation, but not always.
Mark HeinzMarch 10, 2025
Illegal Dumps Cropping Up All Over In Some Of Wyoming’s Most Remote Places
Four drums of jet fuel found tucked away inside a crack in a rock face near Jeffrey City will cost taxpayers more than $35,000 to clean up. It's not an isolated case. Discarded cars, boats, appliances, and other junk are getting littered in remote places across the state.
Renée JeanMarch 09, 2025
Polaris Showcases New 2026 Snowmobile Lineup In Wyoming’s Teton Range
In January, Polaris held a marketing photo shoot showcasing its 2026 snowmobile lineup. They've been doing shoots in Wyoming for years, but this one was different -- it's all Wyoming: four Wyoming snowmobilers shot by a Wyoming photographer.
Andrew RossiMarch 09, 2025
Wyoming National Forest Users Mixed On Big Changes Under Trump
With the U.S. Forest Service undergoing changes in the new Trump administration, people who use those public lands are mixed. One Wyoming user says she’s worried, while another says he’s hopeful to weed out those “just there for a paycheck.”
Mark HeinzMarch 08, 2025
After 289 Wolves Killed In Montana Last Year, Bills Push For More Hunting
Hunters and trappers in Montana killed 289 wolves last year, and legislators there are pushing for more. One bill would extend hunting and trapping seasons by three months, and another would allow the use of thermal imaging and night vision scopes.
Mark HeinzMarch 08, 2025
Colorado Firefighters Save Drowning Yak Which Fell Through Frozen Pond
Firefighters in Evergreen, Colorado, say they take every ice rescue seriously. So when they received a call on Wednesday about a yak which fell through the ice at a local pond, they were able to get it saved and mark the first time they ever rescued a yak.
Andrew RossiMarch 06, 2025
Wyoming Otters No Longer Protected, But Won’t Get Slaughtered
Otters are no longer classified as a protected species in Wyoming, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be getting killed anytime soon, according to Game and Fish officials.
Mark HeinzMarch 06, 2025
Rediscovery Of ‘Extinct’ Rabbit Mirrors Finding Wyoming Black-Footed Ferrets
A rabbit species thought to be extinct for 120 years was recently found in Mexico, mirroring the rediscovery of black-footed ferrets near Meeteetse, Wyoming, in 1981.
Mark HeinzMarch 05, 2025
Yellowstone Hack: You Can Save A Lot Of Time By Using The East Entrance
In planning your next trip to Yellowstone, you may want to consider the East Entrance. It could be a time-saver. For example, in 2024, 773,144 vehicles passed through Yellowstone’s West Entrance while only 36,948 vehicles passed through the East Entrance.
Andrew RossiMarch 02, 2025
Wyoming Hunter Beats Huge Odds, Draws ‘Super Tag Trifecta’ To Hunt 3 Species
Nate Miller of Thermopolis put in for Wyoming’s Super Tag hunting tag raffle, not expecting to win anything. He beat astronomical odds to drew the most coveted prize of all, the three-species “trifecta” tag.
Mark HeinzMarch 01, 2025
Nobody Can Figure Out Why Someone Cut Off And Took Mountain Lion’s Tail
Investigators are baffled by the case of somebody killing a mountain lion in Montana, and then cutting off and taking the animal’s head and tail. Taking a head makes sense, officials say, but the tail is baffling.
Mark HeinzFebruary 27, 2025
Wyoming Grizzlies Could Start Waking Up Any Day, Will Grizzly 399’s Cub Show?
Wyoming’s grizzlies should start emerging from hibernation any time now, but nobody’s sure if Grizzly 399’s cub, Spirit, will be among them.
Mark HeinzFebruary 26, 2025
Wyoming Hunters Say Proposed 100,000-Acre Land Swap Would Be A Raw Deal
An exchange of roughly 100,000 acres between the federal government and a ranch in southcentral Wyoming would improve recreational access, supporters say. But Cowboy State hunters say the swap would be a raw deal.
Mark HeinzFebruary 25, 2025
New Sculpture Of 399 And 4 Cubs Planned To Memorialize World’s Most Famous Bear
Wyoming’s Grizzly 399 was the world’s most famous bear and is about to be memorialized in larger-than-life bronze. A huge sculpture of the bear with her famous brood of four cubs is planned to be up in the Jackson area by spring 2026.
Andrew RossiFebruary 23, 2025
‘Turkish Revolution’ Hits American Firearms Scene With Cheap, Plentiful Imports
Turkish firearms were once considered a joke in the United States. Now they’re becoming wildly popular with American shooters, frequently selling for a fraction of the price of domestic brands.
Mark HeinzFebruary 23, 2025
Environmentalists Known As “Tree-Hugging Hunters” Want More Yellowstone Bison Hunted
A group of environmentalists who describe themselves as “tree-huggers who hunt," are uniting around a message that might surprise some: They say it’s time to hunt and kill more bison outside Yellowstone National Park.
David MadisonFebruary 23, 2025
Little Dipper Allowed Scientists To Float On Scalding Grand Prismatic Spring
Between 1992 and 1996, the Little Dipper was the first and only watercraft in Yellowstone National Park that could safely study Grand Prismatic Spring from the surface of its scalding water. The boat disappeared sometime after 1997, and its fate remains uncertain.
Andrew RossiFebruary 22, 2025
Wyoming Family’s Winchester Rifle Has Been Dropping Deer For A Century
A Winchester Model 1894 rifle has been in Cheyenne resident Bob Budd’s family for a century. He says it still shoots straight and symbolizes a connection with the past as his grandfather and father killed their first deer with it, as did Budd and his two sons.
Mark HeinzFebruary 22, 2025
Coyote Hunting Contest Prompts Wyomingites To Weigh Pros, Cons Of Events
Supporters of coyote hunting contests say that they’re helping big game herds. Opponents claim the events accomplish nothing and make Wyoming look bad.
Mark HeinzFebruary 21, 2025
Doesn’t Matter The Season, Tourists Still Get Way Too Close To Bison
It really doesn't matter the season, tourists continue to get way too close to wildlife in Yellowstone. Like Thursday morning, when Daryl Adams in Louisiana pulled up the Old Faithful webcam and witnessed dimwitted tourists just feet away from bison.
Andrew RossiFebruary 20, 2025
Coyote Hunt Organizer Says She's Getting Death Threats Over Upcoming Event
An organizer of a coyote predator hunting contest in Sublette County says she’s getting death threats because people are perceiving it to be a “celebration” of the torture and killing of a wolf there last year.
Mark HeinzFebruary 19, 2025