Outdoors
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Hunters Say Proposal To Take Away Hunting, Fishing Privileges For Trespass Is Draconian
A proposal to ban people from hunting and fishing anywhere in the country if they get caught trespassing in Wyoming goes overboard, some outdoorsmen said. Others say, the current law is too weak and stiffer penalties are needed.
February 05, 2025
Wyoming Game And Fish Director Says “Stars Are Aligned” For Grizzly Delisting
Wyoming Game and Fish Director Angi Bruce told legislators Tuesday that getting grizzlies delisted is a top priority for the agency. “I think the stars are aligned,” she said.
Mark HeinzFebruary 04, 2025
Angry Bison Charges Into Crowd Watching Wolf Pack In Yellowstone
As people gathered on a road in Yellowstone to watch a pack of wolves devour a bison, the buffalo’s herd charged into them last week. The stampede sent bundled-up tourists running off the road and behind vehicles for safety.
Andrew RossiFebruary 03, 2025
Sagebrush Murder Mystery Reveals Two Potential Killers Of Range Plant
In Montana’s Centennial Valley, a sagebrush die-off triggered an investigation into what was killing this anchor species of the open range. The killers turned out to be insects native to the sagebrush seas of the West.
David MadisonFebruary 02, 2025
Like Wolves, Wyoming’s Stray Cats Aren’t Protected From Torture
Wyoming’s stray cats could end up benefiting from a push to protect wolves from torture. Like wolves, they’re considered predators, and some advocate for controlling their numbers through spaying or neutering rather than shooting them.
Mark HeinzFebruary 02, 2025
How Grand Prismatic Spring Became Yellowstone's Social Media Darling
In two decades, Grand Prismatic Spring ascended from a beautiful backwater spot to the second most popular destination in Yellowstone National Park. Grand Prismatic’s profile has exploded as Yellowstone’s social media darling.
Andrew RossiFebruary 01, 2025
Tourist Visits Every Wyoming State Park In A Week: Here Are His Favorites
A tourist from Montana visited all 12 of Wyoming’s state parks in a whirlwind weeklong road trip last summer. He also hit all of Montana’s in 2023, and says Wyoming's are "higher quality, on average, in terms of scenery." Here are his favorites.
Anna-Louise Jackson for Cowboy State DailyFebruary 01, 2025
Apparently, Few Knew It’s Illegal To Blast Wyoming Prairie Dogs From A Vehicle
A Casper-area man said it took him by surprise to learn that shooting prairie dogs from a vehicle is illegal. Another avid hunter said he also didn’t know because it’s such a common practice in Wyoming.
Mark HeinzFebruary 01, 2025
Open Season On Wyoming Mountain Lions Would Be Overkill, Hunters Say
A proponent of an open season on mountain lions says a bill allowing year-round hunting would save Wyoming’s prized mule deer. But some mountain lion hunters argue it could wipe out the big cats.
Mark HeinzJanuary 29, 2025
Biggest Earthquake Since 2023 Rumbles Under Yellowstone, Felt 30 Miles Away
A magnitude 3.9 earthquake was measured near Norris Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park on Tuesday evening. It's the largest earthquake in the park since March 2023 and felt 30 miles away.
Andrew RossiJanuary 29, 2025
Bill To Split Whitetail-Mule Deer Season Dies On Senate Floor
After another round of debate over whether to split hunting seasons for Wyoming’s white-tailed deer and mule deer, the latest effort to do so died on the Senate floor Monday.
Mark HeinzJanuary 28, 2025
Casper Turkeys Wear Out Their Welcome: 145 Removed So Far Through Trapping Program
If a trap-and-release program succeeds, Casper will no longer be wild turkey central. So far, 145 of the big, obnoxious birds have been caught and released back into the wild.
Mark HeinzJanuary 27, 2025
Allowing Landowners To Sell Hunting Tags Would Make Wyoming Wildlife Sport For The Rich, Opponents Say
A proposal to allow landowners to sell their hunting tags would make hunting in Wyoming the sport of kings, opponents say. It would amount to “nothing more than the exploitation and monetization of our wildlife resources," said Muley Fanatics Foundation CEO Josh Coursey.
Mark HeinzJanuary 27, 2025
Wyoming History: Afton's Snowplanes Skimmed Over A Snowy Yellowstone At 100 MPH With No Brakes
The CallAir snowplane, built in Afton, was a revolutionary vehicle. It made it possible to deliver mail, supplies and scientists across the snow-covered terrain of Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks at 100 mph — with no brakes.
Andrew RossiJanuary 26, 2025
Being Hurt In The Middle Of Nowhere Can Be Deadly If You Don’t Know What To Do
Whether it’s a misguided hunting arrow, getting mauled by a grizzly or getting impaled on a tree branch, the wide-open spaces of Wyoming can be dangerous — if not downright deadly. One Wyoming group is dedicated to making sure people know what to do.
Dale KillingbeckJanuary 25, 2025
With Trump Back In Office, Hageman Says Grizzly Delisting Back On The Table
Congresswoman Harriet Hageman and others say there’s a much better chance grizzlies will be delisted from endangered status with President Trump back in office. His pick for Interior secretary says “I’m with you” on delisting.
Mark HeinzJanuary 25, 2025
Bills Could Help Wyoming's Image After Wolf Abuse, Say Retired Wildlife Officers
In response to the abuse of a wolf near Daniel last year, Wyoming aims to outlaw allowing animals to suffer. Some retired wildlife officers say the state's image is still tarnished, and that running wolves down with snowmobiles should also be banned.
Mark HeinzJanuary 25, 2025
More Than Just Fishing Guides May Need To Be Regulated, Legislators Say
A bill calling for more regulation of fishing guides in Wyoming prompted a broader discussion about whether all forms of outdoor recreation need more oversight here -- including rock climbers, mountain bikers and others, legislators said Thursday.
Mark HeinzJanuary 24, 2025
Killing A Mouse In Your Truck Can Get You A Year In Jail In Wyoming
A Wyoming legislator wants to close some loopholes in Wyoming wildlife laws. That includes eliminating one that technically could get someone a year in jail and fined $10,000 for killing a mouse inside a vehicle.
Mark HeinzJanuary 24, 2025
Bill To Split Whitetail And Mule Deer Seasons Passes, But Some Hunters Not Sold
A bill that will split whitetail and mule deer seasons passed out of a legislative committee Tuesday. But some Wyoming hunters say that won’t help.
Mark HeinzJanuary 22, 2025
Bill Aims To Stop Wyoming’s Prime Trout Waters Getting Mobbed By Out-Of-Staters
Wyoming’s prime trout fishing spots are getting mobbed by out-of-staters. Backers of a bill said Tuesday it could stop that by restricting the number of boats allowed on prime sections of the state’s rivers.
Mark HeinzJanuary 21, 2025
3,600-Foot-Tall Undersea Volcano Expected To Blow This Year, But Nobody’s Worried
Axial Seamount is a young, 30 million-year-old undersea volcano in the Pacific Ocean off the U.S. coast, and it’s expected to blow this year. While “fascinating” and spectacular, nobody’s worried about it.
Andrew RossiJanuary 20, 2025
Ancient Ice Forests In Beartooth Mountains Give Up 6,000-Year-Old Secrets
Researchers are revealing the secrets of 6,000-year-old pine forests, preserved in ice patches in the Beartooth Mountains. These ice forests are giving up ancient secrets about the past — and future — of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
Andrew RossiJanuary 19, 2025
“Grape Jelly” Blood Clots And Dismemberment Can Determine What Kills Wildlife
Investigating possible grizzly, wolf and lion kills can be a messy business. But there are vital clues in bloody, dismembered wildlife carcasses, experts say.
Mark HeinzJanuary 19, 2025
Yellowstone’s Beryl Springs Is Super-Hot, Ornery And Turns Stuff Blue
Beryl Spring, located between Mammoth Hot Springs and Madison Junction in Yellowstone National Park, was named for the stunning blue color of its boiling water. It’s also super-hot, ornery and turns the nearby boardwalk posts blue.
Andrew RossiJanuary 19, 2025
Snowmobilers Stoked Snow Is Finally Piling Up Around Wyoming
After a slow start to the snowmobiling season, with little of the white stuff in December, Wyoming snowmobilers are stoked it’s filing piling up. It’s good news for Cowboy State lodges, too.
Mark HeinzJanuary 18, 2025
Speedy, Beloved 24-Year-Old Yellowstone Sanctuary Bison, Dies
Speedy the bison died Thursday after spending 24 years as one of the best-known and beloved bison in the Greater Yellowstone Region. She was an animal ambassador at the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary in Red Lodge, Montana, since 2005.
Andrew RossiJanuary 17, 2025
Responding To Daniel Wolf Torture, Wyoming Hunters Back "Clean Kill Bill"
In response to the notorious case of a wolf being run over with a snowmobile and tortured, a bill before the Wyoming Legislature aims to make wildlife abuse a felony offence. It’s backed by a coalition of Wyoming hunters.
Mark HeinzJanuary 17, 2025
Wolves From Canada Arrive In Colorado, Nobody’s Saying Where They’ll Be Released
A group of wolves have been flown from Canada to Colorado for another round of reintroductions, which has been highly controversial. There’s no word yet on when and where they’ll be released.
Mark HeinzJanuary 13, 2025
24 Wyoming Firefighters On The Ground Battling California Fires, More On The Way
As of Monday, 24 Wyoming firefighters were in Southern California helping fire devastating wildfires that have killed at least 24 people. More Wyoming crews are set to join them soon.
Leo WolfsonJanuary 13, 2025
Bill Splitting Deer Seasons Would Just Get More Mule Deer Shot, Biologist Says
Advocates of legislative bill to split Wyoming hunting seasons for white-tailed and mule deer say it will help save mule deer. A retired wildlife biologist says that would just get more mule deer killed.
Mark HeinzJanuary 13, 2025
Getting Back To The Roots Of Hunting: Wyoming Man Tests Himself On Primitive Elk Hunt
A Wyoming hunter tested his ability to survive in the woods, taking only a recurve bow, two horses and a mule on a several-day hunt — but no food, water or matches. He lived off the land for days before bagging a bull elk.
Mark HeinzJanuary 12, 2025
60-Year-Old National Elk Refuge Visitor Center To Get A $39 Million Overhaul
If fundraising efforts come through, the 1960s-era visitor center at the National Elk Refuge near Jackson is going to get a huge $39 million overhaul. The refuge currently clocks about 500,000 visits each year and is expected to increase.
Anna-Louise Jackson for Cowboy State DailyJanuary 11, 2025
Hunters Wonder How Far Is Too Far To Shoot Big Game Using Technology
Some hunters claim that technology, such as rifles designed to shoot 1,000 yards or more, is ruining the sport. The issue has also sparked a debate about how ethical it is to shoot game from extreme distances.
Mark HeinzJanuary 11, 2025
30 Years Of Yellowstone Wolves: Feds Released Them In 1995 Without Telling Wyoming
30 years ago on Sunday, wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone. Then-Wyoming Gov Jim Geringer recalls former Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt gave the state no notice and told him not to worry because the wolves would never leave the park.
Mark HeinzJanuary 11, 2025
Rescuers Risk Lives To Save Elk That Got Tangled In Rope On Colorado Cliffside
A young bull elk got its antlers tangled in a rope on a near-vertical hillside in Colorado last week, prompting a dangerous rescue attempt. Wildlife agents and a group of climbers risked their lives to save the animal.
Mark HeinzJanuary 10, 2025
In Brief: Wyoming Game And Fish Director Blasts Feds For Not Delisting Grizzlies
Wyoming Game and Fish Director Angi Bruce on Thursday blasted the Biden administration’s decision to not take grizzly bears off the endangered list. She said the feds are undermining the state’s bear management work.
Mark HeinzJanuary 09, 2025
Biden Won’t Delist Grizzlies; Gordon Blasts Decision As “Politics, Not Biology”
Grizzlies in the Lower 48 will remain under endangered species protection, federal officials announced Wednesday. Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon slammed the decision as a parting shot from the outgoing Biden administration, calling it “politics, not policy.”
Mark HeinzJanuary 08, 2025
Cheyenne Cutting Down More Cottonwood Trees But Locals Say There's Nothing Wrong With Them
The City of Cheyenne is at it again -- cutting down more of its Cottonwood trees. The city says they’ve been identified as “a hazard to the public,” but locals say there was nothing wrong with them.
Renée JeanJanuary 08, 2025
Owlmageddon! To Save Spotted Owls, Feds To Kill Nearly 500,000 Other Owls
To help save spotted owls, federal officials plan to kill nearly 500,000 of a similar species, barred owls. The barred owls are bigger and are hogging the spotted owls’ food, wildlife officials say.
Mark HeinzJanuary 08, 2025
Montana Sues To Reduce Number Of Bison In Yellowstone National Park By Half
Montana Gov. Gov. Greg Gianforte wants to throw out Yellowstone National Park’s new bison management plan and reduce the park’s bison’s population by half. He’s suing to make that happen, claiming Yellowstone is mismanaging its bison.
David MadisonJanuary 08, 2025
If Wyoming Grizzlies Are Delisted, They Won’t Be On Restaurant Menus
Grizzlies might soon be delisted from federal protection and hunted in Wyoming, but don’t expect grizzly steaks on the menu at your favorite restaurant. Selling wild game meat is illegal.
Mark HeinzJanuary 07, 2025
Mutant Blue-Eyed Wyoming Mule Deer Fawn With A Light Coat Causing A Stir
A mutant Wyoming mule deer with striking blue eyes and a light coat is causing a stirr among wildlife watchers. It's a rare animal, but appears to be healthy, wildlife observers say.
Mark HeinzJanuary 06, 2025
2024 Will Go Down As The “Year Of The Explosion” At Yellowstone National Park
The spectacular explosion of Black Diamond Pool was the most dramatic event of 2024 in Yellowstone National Park. Elsewhere, it was a pretty average year with nearly 1,200 earthquakes, 300-foot eruptions of Steamboat Geyser and Abyss Pool getting hotter.
Andrew RossiJanuary 06, 2025
Roadkill Lovers Using Tech So They Can Scoop Up & Eat
Fans of eating roadkill have created apps and social media alerts so as soon as roadkill is created, connoisseurs can go to the site, scoop up the remains and get them loaded up on a barbecue.
Mark HeinzJanuary 05, 2025
Tiny, Rare Wyoming Dog Tracks Down Elk For Hunters, Starred In TV Commercial
Mae, a tiny and rare Danish-Swedish farmdog from Cheyenne, tracks down elk and starred in a national TV commercial. She’s also one of only two of her breed known in Wyoming.
Mark HeinzJanuary 05, 2025
Where's The Snow? Cross-Country Skiers, Snowshoers Not Happy In Vedauwoo
There's not much snow at Vedauwoo in southeastern Wyoming, which is a drag for winter sports enthusiasts. But meteorologist Don Day says, if history is any guide, winter weather will soon bring snow to the area and the rest of the state.
Andrew RossiJanuary 05, 2025
Filtration Straws Are Good For Drinking From Rivers But Probably Not Raw Sewage
Specialized filtration straws allow people to drink safely from mountain streams, rivers, and lakes. Wyoming outdoorsmen told Cowboy State Daily they work great but don't recommend trying it on raw sewage.
Mark HeinzJanuary 04, 2025
New Study Shows Yellowstone Supervolcano Still Isn't Going To Blow Up Anytime Soon
A new study on the supervolcano percolating underneath Yellowstone National Park reaffirms it’s not about to blow and end humanity as we know it. It shows the magma deep underneath the park isn’t a very fluid situation.
Andrew RossiJanuary 04, 2025
Rare Whitetail-Mule Deer Fight Highlights Conflict Between Wyoming Species
A rare fight caught on video between a mule deer and whitetail buck highlights the conflict between the species in Wyoming.
Mark HeinzJanuary 03, 2025
Rare NYE Aurora Could Be Sign 2025 Will Be Another Epic Year For Northern Lights
Wyoming photographer Dave Bell spent New Year’s Eve watching some of Mother Nature’s fireworks. He captured the stunning reds and greens of a rare New Year's Eve aurora over Wyoming, a sign that 2025 could be even better than last year for auroras.
Andrew RossiJanuary 02, 2025
Once Just A Problem For Deer, Deadly CWD Now Might Explode In Wyoming Elk Herds
Chronic wasting disease has been a problem for deer herds in Wyoming. Now that it’s been found in an elk in the Jackson area, hunters might have to get used to it being everywhere.
Mark HeinzJanuary 01, 2025
Bigfoot Hunters Die Searching For Sasquatch In Washington Forest
Two men died looking for bigfoot in a remote part of Washington state, sparking a three-day search and rescue effort. A Wyoming archaeology professor says their deaths were in vain because the creatures have never been proven to exist.
Mark HeinzJanuary 01, 2025
Wyoming Fisherman Camped On Ice Wakes Up To Find He Drifted Away After Ice Broke
An ice fisherman camping on Ocean Lake in Fremont County was stranded after a section of ice broke off Saturday. He drifted into the lake only to wake up hundreds of yards from shore.
Mark HeinzDecember 31, 2024
Wyoming Moose Fear Wolves, But Coastal Moose Have To Watch Out For Killer Whales
In Wyoming, moose worry about wolves and grizzlies. In coastal areas of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, moose have to look out to keep from being eaten by killer whales.
Mark HeinzDecember 30, 2024
From Above, Aftermath Of Devastating 100,000-Acre Elk Fire Looks Worse
The Elk Creek Fire burned nearly 100,000 acres across the eastern face of the Bighorn Mountains this fall, threatening several small Wyoming towns. While early evaluations suggest the damage is mostly superficial, from above it looks devastating.
Andrew RossiDecember 28, 2024
Californians Freak Out Over Meat-Eating Squirrels, But They’ve Always Been Cannibals
A recent report about meat-eating ground squirrels has freaked out Californians, but it’s really nothing new. In Wyoming, the burrowing rodents are notorious for cannibalism.
Mark HeinzDecember 28, 2024
Yellowstone’s Famed One-Eyed Wolf 907F Dies After Fight With Rival Pack
After living triple the average wolf’s lifespan, Yellowstone National Park’s famed Wolf 907F died Christmas Day. She succumbed to injuries she suffered in a fight with other wolves a few days earlier.
Mark HeinzDecember 28, 2024
No Limits On Fish Gobbling Up Prized Flaming Gorge Kokanee Salmon
It’s open season on small lake trout and burbot in Flaming Gorge Reservoir as Wyoming Game and Fish officials have put no limits on both species. That’s because they’re gobbling up the reservoir’s prized kokanee salmon.
Mark HeinzDecember 26, 2024
Cutting Your Own Tree Doesn’t Have To Be A “Christmas Vacation” Experience
Going out into the woods to cut your own Christmas tree is a time-honored Wyoming tradition. The Williams family of Laramie has been doing it for years, and it’s not a “Christmas Vacation” experience.
Mark HeinzDecember 24, 2024
Escape From Chicago: Wyoming Firearms Founder Makes World’s Most Powerful AR-Style Rifle
Greg Buchel was born and raised in Chicago but “escaped Illinois” to move to Wyoming and founded Big Horn Armory which touts its AR500 as the world’s most powerful AR-style rifle. Buchel says it will down anything from "pachyderms to Peterbilts."
Mark HeinzDecember 24, 2024
Sweetwater County Clings To Hope Congress Will Kill Controversial BLM Plan
Sweetwater County officials say they feel in limbo at the center of a controversial BLM plan to manage 3.6 million acres of federal land in Wyoming. Their best hope to kill the plan now sit with Congress.
Mark HeinzDecember 23, 2024
BLM Plans To Round Up Extremely Rare Wyoming Curly-Haired Mustangs
Vast stretches of harsh desert near Rock Springs are among the few places in the world where mustangs with curly coats can be found, but the Bureau of Land Management plans to round them up, which has horse advocates upset.
Mark HeinzDecember 22, 2024
Yes, Bears Falling Out Of Trees And Killing People Is A Real Thing
A Virginia man was killed when a bear another hunter shot tumbled out of a tree and landed on him. A veteran Wyoming predator hunter said the danger posed by large animals falling out of trees is a real thing.
Mark HeinzDecember 19, 2024
What3Words Claims To Be The Best Rescue App Ever, But Misses In Wyoming
A new app maps out the entire world into 3-yard squares and assigns three words to identify each square. It’s wildly popular with some emergency responders and is growing a base, but Wyoming rescue pros aren’t sold.
Mark HeinzDecember 18, 2024
Story Of Birdshot Dropping Charging Grizzly Seems Unbelievable, Wyoming Hunters Say
A Montana man once stopped a charging grizzly bear with a load of birdshot from a .410 shotgun. That seems unbelievable to Wyoming hunters because of the gun’s relatively weak stopping power.
Mark HeinzDecember 18, 2024
Shooting Drones Is Illegal, But A Shotgun Would Work Best If You Must
We're not recommending anyone shoot down a drone. That's illegal in Wyoming. But if someone needed to, a shotgun would be the right weapon, gun experts say.
Mark HeinzDecember 16, 2024
Man-Made Nests Could Protect Eagles From Getting Slaughtered By Wind Turbines
With too many golden eagles getting slaughtered by wind turbines in central and southeast Wyoming, it’s hoped man-made nests can help. They create a safe haven for the raptors away from wind farms.
Mark HeinzDecember 16, 2024
Forget About Silencers, People Are Putting ‘Loudeners’ On Their Guns
“Loudeners," or devices that increase a gun's noise and concussion, have a fan base. But some Wyoming shooters say there's no reason for them and loundeners are just stupid.
Mark HeinzDecember 14, 2024
As Out-Of-Staters Mob Wyoming’s Prime Fishing Spots, Some Want To Regulate Guides
Out-of-staters are taking advantage of Wyoming’s loose regulations for fishing guides and crowding the state’s prime waters, say backers of a bill that would change that.
Mark HeinzDecember 13, 2024
Ranchers Skeptical Range Riders Will Save Colorado Livestock From Wolves
As Colorado prepares to release more wolves, the state will use range riders to help protect livestock. Unless they’re allowed to kill interloping wolves, ranchers are skeptical range riders could make a difference.
Mark HeinzDecember 13, 2024
1540s Bronze Cannon Dug Up In Arizona Is The Oldest Gun Ever Found In The U.S.
A nearly 500-year-old bronze cannon used by Spanish conquistadors was recently unearthed in Arizona, making it the oldest firearm ever found in the continental U.S. It’s also more than 200 years older than the first guns in Wyoming.
Mark HeinzDecember 12, 2024