Outdoors

Spencer Carsten, one of the wardens who cracked the case of the Cody serial poacher

How Wyoming Game Wardens Cracked The Cody Serial Poaching Case

Game wardens sat in the dark for five nights in Cody waiting for a serial poacher to strike again. On the fifth night, they heard the sound of a compound bow. The science that followed tied one man to nine dead deer and a slaughtered cow.

David MadisonMarch 23, 2026

All But One Horse Survive In Sweetwater County Fire; Blaze Near Lovell Still Burns

All but one horse survived in Green River on Sunday as corrals were opened and horses let loose in the Scotts Bottom Fire. Meanwhile, a fire near Lovell continues to burn. Thus far, the two fires have scorched 2,000 acres and are under investigation.

Kate MeadowsMarch 23, 2026

Ugh: Wyoming's Tick Season Has Already Started And It's Likely To Be A Bumper Crop

Another consequence of Wyoming's abnormally warm winter is a much earlier tick season. Entomologist Mikenna Smith says not only are ticks out and about now but it's likely there will be a lot more them this year. "I'm a bit worried," she said.

Andrew RossiMarch 23, 2026

Every spring, hundreds of turkey vultures show up on the University of Wyoming campus and stay until fall.

Wyoming's Turkey Vultures Do Much More Than Hang Around Looking Creepy

The turkey vultures are back. They return to Wyoming each spring, roosting by the hundreds on the UW campus and in Casper. Researchers say they do more than just poop all over trees, barf up pellets of leftover gristle, and hang around looking creepy

Mark HeinzMarch 21, 2026

Yellowstone Ravens Cleverly Predict Where Wolves Will Make Kills

A new study finds Yellowstone’s ravens don’t just follow wolves but use mental “maps” to predict likely kill sites. Researchers say the birds’ memory and human food sources may shape their scavenging habits.

Mark HeinzMarch 20, 2026

Utah Law Makes People Buy Hunting/Fishing Licenses To Use State Lands

Utah passed a law that could require anyone using its wildlife management areas to buy hunting or fishing licenses, even if they’re not hunting or fishing. Some Wyoming outdoors enthusiasts say that’s unfair and prefer general user fees instead.

Mark HeinzMarch 20, 2026

Fremont County residents Leah Edwards and John Bass are among many Wyomingites who love fishing for walleye.

Wyoming Anglers Excited For State Hatchery To Produce 1.28 Million Walleye Per Year

A Wyoming fish hatchery is expected to churn out well over 1 million walleye per year, and anglers are excited. Wyoming might be primarily known for trout, but walleye are also a favorite game fish.

Mark HeinzMarch 19, 2026

There Were More Than 6,000 Human-Grizzly Conflicts In Wyoming Over The Last 40 Years

According to a report to the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission earlier this week, there were more than 6,000 human-grizzly conflicts in Wyoming from 1982 to 2025, including 220 in 2025. Neither attack last year resulted in life-threatening injuries.

Mark HeinzMarch 19, 2026

A cow elk boldly strode out onto the sod roof of a building in Gardiner, Montana early Tuesday, to graze on the sod.

Elk Boldly Climbs On Sod Roof To Graze In Gardiner As Locals Watch In Amazement

A cow elk walked out onto the roof of a building in Gardiner, Montana, just outside of Yellowstone National Park to the amazement of onlookers. Apparently, she wanted the roof’s sod all to herself.

Mark HeinzMarch 18, 2026

The Dry Creek area near Greybull is bare, after stands of Russian olive were cut down recently.

Hunters Say BLM Wiped Out Favorite Hunting Location With Tree Removal

Hunters in northern Wyoming say the BLM destroyed some of the best pheasant hunting in the entire region by removing entire strands of Russian olive trees near Greybull. The BLM says it's an invasive tree species.

Mark HeinzMarch 18, 2026

A pair of brush trucks the Yoder Fire Protection District has taken to Nebraska to help fight wildfires.

Dozens Of Wyoming Firefighters, Engines In Nebraska Fighting Historic Wildfires

Dozens of Wyoming-based firefighters, engines and other support personnel are in Nebraska, where wildfires have ripped through more than 750,000 acres. One Wyoming fire chief called the dry, windy conditions a “recipe for disaster.”

Kate MeadowsMarch 17, 2026

Lever-action rifles are usually associated with grandpas who like to hunt. But tricked out with “tactical” accessories like red-dot sights, they’re getting new life with younger shooters.

Old-Time Lever-Action Rifles Get New Life With ‘Tactical’ Upgrades

Lever-action rifles are getting tricked out with “tactical” accessories like red-dot sights, giving them new life with younger shooters. Mounting accessory rails on lever-action rifles might have seemed absurd — until people started doing it.

Mark HeinzMarch 17, 2026

An areia view of some of the area of the 572,000-acre Morrill Fire in Nebraska.

As Wildfires Burn More Than 750,000 Acres In Nebraska, Wyoming Is Just As Dry

With out-of-control wildfires having burned more than 750,000 acres across his state, Nebraska’s governor has declared a state of emergency. Wyoming agencies are sending help, even as conditions at home are just as dry and windy.

David MadisonMarch 17, 2026

But with unusually warm, dry weather this year, the bears are out “stupid early,” even at high altitudes, avid black bear hunter Julie Mccallister of Rock River told Cowboy State Daily.

Hungry Black Bears Out ‘Stupid Early’ Could Make Wyoming Spring Hunts Wild

Spring black bear hunting season could be wild this year as the bears are out about a month early. One hunter said bears are sniffing around cabins in the Snowy Range. “There's a reason ‘mama bear’ is a term. They’re flat-out aggressive,” she said.

Mark HeinzMarch 15, 2026

Hunters who used a helicopter to reach public land surrounded by private property in Johnson County say a rancher tried to steal an elk head and antlers from them. Brett D. DeLapp was charged with misdemeanor theft and pleaded not guilty.

Wyoming Rancher Charged With Trying To Steal Elk Head From Helicopter Hunters

A Kaycee area rancher has been charged with theft after prosecutors say he tried to steal an elk head from hunters who helicoptered into public land near his ranch. The hunters say a video they posted shows the confrontation between the two parties.

Mark HeinzMarch 14, 2026

An unusually warm winter kept much of Wyoming’s prime lakes from freezing, cutting ice fishing season short or canceling it entirely. That didn't stop some anglers, who still had success fishing from boats. Above, Jackson Lake is usually a prime ice fishing spot. Inset, Fontenelle Reservoir in Southwest Wyoming was one of the few ice fishing destinations to get decent ice this winter. This gigantic burbot was caught while night ice fishing there.

Winter Of Discontent: Wyoming Had Almost No Ice Fishing Season This Year

With temperatures regularly soaring into the 40s and 50s during the usually prime ice fishing months of January and February, Wyoming’s ice fishing season was brief in some places, and never happened in others.

Mark HeinzMarch 14, 2026

Elk calf killed by eating a yew bush that is toxic to wildlife

Montana Elk Die After Eating Japanese Yew, A Pretty Plant That Kills Wildlife

At least five elk died in Montana after eating needles from Japanese yew, a plant toxic to animals. Back in 2017, the plant caused one of the worst wildlife disasters in Idaho’s history when a herd of 50 pronghorn died on the spot after eating it.

Mark HeinzMarch 13, 2026

For decades, reintroducing grizzlies to California seemed completely unrealistic. Now, the California Legislature is considering a plan that could include relocating Yellowstone grizzlies there.

California Considers Grizzly Reintroduction Plan That Could Use Wyoming Bears

For decades, reintroducing grizzlies to California seemed unrealistic. Now, California lawmakers are considering a plan that could relocate Yellowstone grizzlies there. One skeptic says, "I don’t think it’s feasible. There’s 40 million people in California."

Mark HeinzMarch 13, 2026

Mild Winter Leaves Wyoming Predators Hungry While Big Game Thrive

A mild winter means easy living for Wyoming’s big game, but it also means hard times for predators, because of fewer weakened animals to hunt or winterkill carcasses to devour. "The bonanza for wolves isn’t going to happen this year,” one biologist said.

Mark HeinzMarch 12, 2026

Just like a fish would, this muskrat bit a flyfishing angler’s fly on the North Platte River. Luckily for the muskrat, a fishing guide quickly removed the hook and set the critter free.

Wyoming Fly Fisherman After Trout Catches Muskrat Instead On North Platte River

A Wyoming fly-fishing and his clients were on a stretch of the North Platte River legendary for its trout when they caught a muskrat on their line instead. The determined rodent chased and bit a string leech on a fishing fly, just like a trout would.

Mark HeinzMarch 11, 2026

Mormon Row in Grand Teton National Park is increasingly crowded with tourists wanting to capture its Old West Wyoming vibe.

Wyoming Puts Up $4 Million To Keep Up With Impacts From Booming Tourism

Wyoming has launched a $4 million Outdoor Rec and Tourism Trust Fund to expand trails and amenities. The goal is to manage the impacts of a booming tourism industry while improving quality of life for residents and boosting local economies.

Renée JeanMarch 11, 2026

Here Come The Bears: Yellowstone's First Grizzly Of 2026 Spotted

The first official sighting of a grizzly in Yellowstone has been confirmed. Park officials say the male bear was, not surprisingly, eating. He was spotted feeding on a bison carcass in the northern half of the park on Monday.

Andrew RossiMarch 10, 2026

Nebraskans say a wolf that a southeast Wyoming rancher shot in January resembles the same wolf they saw in rural Nebraska.

Wolf Shot In Southeast Wyoming Might Be Same Wolf Seen In Nebraska

A wolf that a southeast Wyoming rancher shot in January might have been running around western Nebraska for months before roaming into the Cowboy State. Wolf sightings are rare in Nebraska but they’ve become more frequent as wolf populations grow in other states.

Mark HeinzMarch 08, 2026

A bald eagle with severe lead poisoning is fighting for its life at a Colorado raptor rehabilitation center.

Bald Eagle With Lead Poisoning From Eating Bullet In Carcasses Slowly Recovering

It's "touch and go" for a Colorado bald eagle poisoned by a lead bullet it ingested while eating a carcass. "We'll keep fighting as long as he wants to," the rescue center says. Many eagles die this time of year from doing more scavenging than hunting.

Mark HeinzMarch 07, 2026

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