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Controversial Proposal To Let Landowners Sell Hunting Tags Revived
After being shot down during the Wyoming Legislature’s 2025 session, a proposal to let Wyoming landowners put their hunting tags up for sale was revived before a legislative committee Friday.
Mark HeinzJune 07, 2025

Wyoming’s Golden Age Of Mule Deer Is Gone, With Fewer Than Half Of Peak Numbers
Wyoming has fewer than half of the 500,000 mule deer it did during the heyday of the 1960s to 1980s, and it will likely never see mule deer herds like that again, a Game and Fish official told legislators Friday.
Mark HeinzJune 06, 2025

It's Not Easy To Get Bison Off The Road (When They Don't Want To)
Bison are massive, obstinate, and have no regard for rules of the road. Even park rangers struggle to overcome their stubbornness, as evidenced by a recent game of “Ring Around the Rosie” between a bison and a Park Service SUV in Yellowstone National Park.
Andrew RossiJune 06, 2025

Photographers Aghast At Dimwitted Tourist Who Allowed Toddler Next To Bison
Wildlife photographers Rob and Jennifer Gunderson have seen a lot of questionable behavior over the years in Yellowstone. This week they were taken aback when they saw a woman allowing her toddler to stand right next to a full-grown 2,000-pound bison.
Andrew RossiJune 06, 2025

‘Sad Bear’ Signs Target Stretch Of Highway Where Grizzlies Keep Getting Hit
Researchers are taking a new route to keep drivers from barreling through Grand Teton grizzly habitat. They're tugging on people's heartstrings by putting up “sad bear” roadside signs, urging them to slow down.
Mark HeinzJune 06, 2025

As Minerals, Wind And Solar Projects Boom In Wyoming, Should Companies Pay For Displaced Wildlife?
State Sen. Larry Hicks is proposing a bill that would compensate Wyoming residents for “loss of property” when huge wind, solar, minerals or other energy projects displace wildlife.
Mark HeinzJune 05, 2025

Hunter Calls For Counter-Protest During Daniel Rally Against Wolf Torture
An outdoorsman is calling for people to show up in Daniel on June 14 to support Wyoming’s wolf management policies and to counter what he says is the inaccurate demonization of local resident Cody Roberts.
Mark HeinzJune 05, 2025

Early Elk Migration Could Be To Blame For Low Sales At Jackson Antler Auction
An early elk migration out of the National Elk Refuge could be to blame for a plunge in revenue from this year’s elk antler auction in Jackson. The annual auction consistently pulls in about $200,000 but this year’s auction generated only $109,000.
Mark HeinzJune 04, 2025

Elderly Wyoming Mustangs Enjoy Life On Oregon Sanctuary They Helped Make Famous
Goliath and Blue Zeus are two huge mustang stallions who lived hardscrabble lives on the Wyoming range and now enjoy freedom and plentiful forage on a 9,000-acre horse sanctuary in Oregon. Goliath is 33-years-old while Blue Zeus is 24.
Mark HeinzJune 03, 2025

Hazing Of Grizzly 1063 Led To Cubs Being Killed, Photographer Tom Mangelsen Says
World famous wildlife photographer Tom Mangelsen said he believes the National Park Service's "hard hazing" of Grizzly 1063 last month led to two of her cubs being killed and cannibalized by a large male grizzly. The National Park Service disputes that.
Mark HeinzJune 03, 2025

Yellowstone Pool, Which Exploded In Spectacular Fashion Last Summer, Erupts Again
The Black Diamond Pool, in Yellowstone's Biscuit Basin, blew up on Saturday evening. The area has been closed to the public ever since a spectacular explosion sent tourists screaming and running in all directions last summer.
Andrew RossiJune 02, 2025

15 Cattle Dropped Dead In One Day On Colorado Ranch Remains A Mystery
A Colorado ranch family suffered a devastating loss when 15 head of cattle died suddenly in a single day. Weeks later, they still haven’t figured out why.
Mark HeinzJune 02, 2025

When and Where To Hear Wolves Howling in Yellowstone
Going to Yellowstone and want to hear the howling of wolves? There are a lot of factors at play but the most important is just like real estate: location, location, location. Lamar Valley is your best bet.
Andrew RossiJune 02, 2025

As Tough As Moose Are, Tens Of Thousands Of Ticks Can Bring Them Down
Given their massive size and cantankerous attitudes, Wyoming’s moose might seem practically indestructible, but if enough ticks pile on to a moose, they can kill it -- and they do.
Mark HeinzJune 01, 2025

Hummingbirds Return to Wyoming, Sucking Down Enough Sugar To Put A Human In A Coma
Hummingbird season is back across Wyoming, drawing out fans of the tiny species known for aerial acrobatics and pollination of flowers. To fuel their sky-high metabolic rate, they suck down about 80% of their body weight in nectar each day.
David MadisonJune 01, 2025

Severe Geomagnetic Storm Could Make Spectacular Auroras Over Wyoming
The Space Weather Prediction Center on Saturday issued a Severe geomagnetic storm watch for June 1 and 2 when a massive surge of solar energy reaches Earth. That means some fantastic aurora displays could be in store for Wyoming skywatchers.
Andrew RossiMay 31, 2025

Why The World’s Best Kayakers Train On The Whitewater Of Montana’s Gallatin River
It’s highwater season on Montana’s Gallatin River, and a growing posse of kayakers are paddling its infamous House Rock section, training for even scarier whitewater. There’s a reason the world’s best kayakers train here.
David MadisonMay 31, 2025

Why It Probably Doesn't Make Any Sense To Keep Searching For Grizzly 399's Cub, Spirit
Since Wyoming’s most famous bear, Grizzly 399, was killed by a car last fall, there hasn't been a verified sighting of her cub, Spirit. Famed wildlife photographer Tom Mangelsen, who named the cub, says it would probably take genetic testing to positively identify the bear.
Mark HeinzMay 31, 2025

Bear Stops By Burgess Junction Visitor Center, Barely Misses Busload Of Tourists
A young black bear decided to take a stroll right up to the Burgess Junction Visitor Center in the Bighorn mountains early Wednesday. The bear missed a busload of tourists by about 20 minutes.
Mark HeinzMay 31, 2025

Colorado Wolves Caught For Killing Livestock Let Go, Blamed For Killing Cows Again
Colorado’s Copper Creek wolf pack was captured and put in captivity last year for killing livestock. After being released, they’re now blamed for killing cows again.
Mark HeinzMay 30, 2025

BLM Proceeds With Roundup Of Rare Curly-Haired Horses Despite Pending Court Case
Despite a lawsuit challenging the capture of wild mustangs in central Wyoming still pending in federal court, the Bureau of Land Management has decided to proceed with the roundup of nearly 3,000 horses.
Mark HeinzMay 29, 2025

Quake In Yellowstone Spooks Humans, But Bears Don’t Care
A wildlife photographer definitely felt an earthquake in the Hayden Valley area of Yellowstone on Monday evening but the bears she was filming? Couldn't care less.
Mark HeinzMay 29, 2025

Wyoming’s Miracle Mile Is Prized For Trout, But Not So Much The Kokanee Salmon
The Miracle Mile on the North Platte River in central Wyoming is prized as a trout fishery. Spawning kokanee salmon can also be caught there, although they might taste awful if caught during fall spawning runs.
Mark HeinzMay 28, 2025

Climbing Everest With Gas, Cheating Or The Future? Wyoming Climbers Split
Climbers are split over a British team’s use of xenon gas to climb Mount Everest in just four days. One Wyoming Everest climber says it’s “pathetic” and “straight-up cheating,” while another says it’s a safe innovation that will keep people healthy.
Andrew RossiMay 28, 2025

Crisis Or Hyperbole? How National Parks Will Fare This Summer
Some retired and current National Park Service officials claim federal cuts will cause chaos in the parks this summer. Others, including the person who used to oversee the National Park Service, says it’s hyperbole and the parks will be just fine.
Mark HeinzMay 28, 2025

Yellowstone’s Explosive Biscuit Basin Won’t Be Open To The Public This Summer
Because of last year’s spectacular explosion and continuing seismic activity at Yellowstone’s Biscuit Basin, park officials are keeping the area closed. Online visitors can check in via webcam, however.
Andrew RossiMay 28, 2025

Motorcycle Rally Against Wolf Torture Plans Return To Daniel, Wyoming
Hogs for Hope, a motorcycle rally in response to the torture and killing of a wolf in Daniel, plans a return to the western Wyoming town June 14. The event organizer says he won’t stop the rallies until Wyoming reforms its wolf management policy.
Mark HeinzMay 26, 2025

How Two Casper Teens Were Responsible For The National Outcry To Protect Eagles
Two Casper high school seniors who discovered numerous dead bald eagles on a hike in 1971 helped fuel a national outcry to protect them. The investigation led to charges against Wyoming ranchers bent on keeping predators from their sheep.
Dale KillingbeckMay 25, 2025

Cheyenne Botanic Gardens Buys Tulips By The Thousands, And They Last For Years
Holland may be famous for its tulips, but they’re all over Cheyenne as well each summer. The Cheyenne Botanic Gardens buys them by the thousands, and they thrive in southeast Wyoming, some lasting for a decade.
Renée JeanMay 25, 2025

Remembering Scott Talbott: 2nd-Longest Serving Director In Wyoming Game And Fish History
Scott Talbott died in April from pancreatic cancer. As the second-longest serving director of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Talbott leaves behind a legacy of conservation and leadership and being the “perfect dad” to his sons.
Jen KocherMay 25, 2025

Exploring Wyoming: How To Navigate Through Yellowstone's Bison Jams
If you get stuck in one of Yellowstone's bison jams, you might be doomed for a long time. That's why wildlife photographer Max Waugh, who has led tours in Yellowstone for 25 years, published a book on ways to navigate the jams -- which include considering yourself a bison.
Andrew RossiMay 24, 2025

Group Aims To Raise $500 Million To Get Wildlife Crossing Projects Rolling Again
With federal money for wildlife crossings running dry and on hold, the Wildlife Crossing Fund aims to raise $500 million in private donations. The goal is to get wildlife crossing projects rolling again across Wyoming and other states.
Mark HeinzMay 24, 2025

Poo-Poo Project Saves Wyoming Owls, Other Birds From Horrible Public Toilet Deaths
The Teton Raptor Center's award-winning Poo-Poo Project is saving owls and other birds from horrible deaths by getting trapped inside public vault toilets. The solution the center developed is now being used in all 50 states.
Andrew RossiMay 24, 2025

Grizzly Shot, Killed After Charging Mushroom Pickers Near Montana Prairie Town
Two Montana men shot and killed a grizzly that charged them while they were picking mushrooms late Wednesday near the town of Choteau. That’s in prairie country where grizzlies have recently become more common.
Mark HeinzMay 24, 2025

Grizzlies Walk Right Up To Cody Man’s Jeep, Show They Don’t Fear Humans
A man headed to look for black bears near Cody said three grizzlies walked right up to his bright lime-green Jeep. He said it’s more evidence that grizzlies don’t fear humans in that area.
Mark HeinzMay 23, 2025

Wyoming Corner-Crossing Case Would Set National Law If Supreme Court Hears It
Wyoming’s noted “corner-crossing” case could end up before the U.S. Supreme Court. If it does, it would settle once and for all whether hopping corners between private and public land parcels is legal.
Mark HeinzMay 22, 2025

WYDOT Opens Snowy Range, Beartooth Highway Expected To Open Before Weekend
After clearing up to 15 feet of snow in some spots of Wyoming Highway 130, the Snowy Range opened for the season Thursday. The Wyoming Department of Transportation also says the Beartooth Highway and Highway 14A should be open Friday.
Andrew RossiMay 22, 2025

Flaming Gorge Lake Trout Still Devouring Kokanee Salmon Despite No Limits, Marina Owner Says
A marina owner at Flaming Gorge told Cowboy State Daily on Wednesday that lake trout are gobbling too many prized kokanee salmon. He said the catch limits on lake trout aren’t enough and should be commercially netted.
Mark HeinzMay 22, 2025

Why So Many Grizzly Bears This Year On Social Media?
Photos of Wyoming grizzlies are blowing up all over social media. While that’s partly because there are more bears, it’s also because there are more people taking pictures of them, wildlife photographers say.
Mark HeinzMay 21, 2025

Game And Fish Finds Mother Lode Of 500K Invasive Zebra Mussels On Boat Lift
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department aquatic inspectors scraped more than 500,000 invasive zebra mussels off a boat lift from South Dakota. The mother lode of mussels could have devastated Alcova Reservoir.
Andrew RossiMay 20, 2025

With Four New Denning Pairs Of Wolves, Colorado Could Have Wolf Pup Boom
With four pairs of wolves thought to be denning together in Colorado, that state is expecting a wolf pup boom. That could lead to numerous established wolf packs.
Mark HeinzMay 20, 2025

Grizzlies Likely To Be Delisted Once Nesvik Heads FWS, Former Federal Official Says
Former Wyoming Game and Fish Director Brian Nesvik needs to take charge of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) before grizzlies can be delisted, says a former high-ranking federal official who oversaw the agency.
Mark HeinzMay 20, 2025

Momma Grizzly Doesn’t Mess Around When Wolf Tries To Snatch Her Tiny Cub
The first grizzly bear to appear this spring with a new cub in Yellowstone National Park’s Lamar Valley wasn’t messing around when she fended off a huge wolf trying to snatch her tiny cub.
Mark HeinzMay 19, 2025

Game And Fish Captures, Relocates Grizzly That Killed Cattle Near Cody
Wyoming Game and Fish announced Monday that a male grizzly that was killing cattle has been captured near Cody and relocated. Grizzlies attacking cattle is the most common type of grizzly-human conflict in northwest Wyoming.
Mark HeinzMay 19, 2025

Helicopter Rescues Horse Stranded In The Middle Of The Yellowstone River
A horse named Cowboy stranded in the middle of the Yellowstone River south of Billings, Montana, was flown to safety Friday by the Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office and its on-call helicopter.
Andrew RossiMay 19, 2025

Wyoming Rancher Hopes Fence Will Prevent Another ‘Absolute Carnage’ Of Antelope
It's hoped that upgraded fencing on a family ranch in Sweetwater County will save countless antelope, deer and elk. Old woven-wire fence was choking off wildlife migration routes, which contributed to “absolute carnage” during winter 2022-23.
Mark HeinzMay 19, 2025

Wyoming Birders Live For Spring, And Spotting Something Rare Or Spectacular
For bird enthusiasts, the best part of spring is watching all the birds return. Wyoming is home to more than 400 species of birds and the migration peak is in May.
Jackie DorothyMay 18, 2025

Grand Teton’s Mormon Row To Get Upgrades As Visitors Crowd Picturesque Area
Grand Teton National Park’s growing popularity with tourists means more visitors are taking in Wyoming’s picturesque Mormon Row. The National Park Service is planning upgrades to the area to keep up.
Andrew RossiMay 17, 2025

More Wyoming Women Have Guns — And Are Trained How To Use Them
In Wyoming, and across the country, more women are buying guns and taking courses to learn how to shoot them. Jason Crotteau, who runs the Riverton-based Wyoming Tactical shooters’ training company, says self-protection is the reason why.
Mark HeinzMay 17, 2025

Dimwitted California Rapper Stands Next To Boiling Yellowstone Pool For Video
If you’re dead set on committing a federal crime in Yellowstone National Park, you might as well post video of yourself doing the deed to social media. That’s what a California rapper did, coming dangerously close to a boiling thermal pool.
Andrew RossiMay 16, 2025

Grizzly Killed After Tipping Over 800-Pound Dumpsters Near Old Faithful
Yellowstone National Park confirmed an 11-year-old male grizzly was captured and killed Wednesday after repeatedly knocking over bear-resistant dumpsters. Officials say the grizzly had repeatedly sought out human food.
Andrew RossiMay 15, 2025

Montana National Guard Accused Of Illegally Using Black Hawk To Snag Elk Antlers
Witnesses in Montana claim they saw a National Guard chopper illegally land on private property, and the crew grabbing shed elk antlers. If true, the guardsmen responsible will be punished, a general said.
Mark HeinzMay 14, 2025

Male Bear Kills, Cannibalizes 2 Of Grizzly 1063’s 3 Yearling Cubs In Grand Teton
Fans of a prominent female grizzly in Grand Teton National Park were saddened to learn Wednesday that two of her three yearling cubs were apparently killed and cannibalized by a male bear. While brutal, it’s what male bears do.
Mark HeinzMay 14, 2025

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