Outdoors

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

University of Wyoming Extension students on a bug safari. Inset is a photo of a Wyoming cricket swarm that descended on Edgerton in May 2023.

Entomologists Say Wyoming’s Reputation As One Of The Least 'Buggy' States Is A Myth

Wyoming has a reputation as being one of the “least buggy” states, but entomologists say that’s just a myth. Short, dry summers may limit Wyoming’s insect diversity, but the bugs that do survive hit hard and in huge numbers.

Renée JeanMarch 07, 2026

Wind River Canyon resident Allen Darlington has been doing fish taxidermy for 30 years. It combines his artistic skills of painting and sculpting.

Fish Taxidermy: Wyoming Man Has Been Making Art Out Of Fish For 30 Years

Allen Darlington grew up in Upton, said he majored in going to the Buckhorn Bar at the University of Wyoming, and learned his craft from a master fish taxidermist in Rawlins. He has spent 30 years blending painting and sculpting to perfect fish taxidermy.

Mark HeinzMarch 07, 2026

Echinus Geyser, the world’s largest acidic geyser, suddenly burst back to life in Yellowstone National Park on Feb. 6 after dormant for five years. It's since erupted 60 times in 18 days, sending acidic water 80 feet into the air.

The World's Largest Acidic Geyser In Yellowstone Reawakens, Erupts 60 Times

Echinus Geyser, the world’s largest acidic geyser, suddenly burst back to life in Yellowstone last month after being dormant for five years. Once called a "star performer,"it' since erupted 60 times in 18 days, sending acidic water 80 feet into the air.

Andrew RossiMarch 07, 2026

Float fishing on the Big Horn River never really stopped this winter, and the spring angling rush has already started.

'Flush' Of North Platte River Kicks Off Early Wyoming Spring Fishing Season

After a lackluster winter, the spring fishing season is on in Wyoming about a month early, unofficially kicked off by the flushing of the North Platte River. The yearly “flush” increases the river's flow by about eight times to simulate spring runoff.

Mark HeinzMarch 06, 2026

Buzz Hettick, co-chair of the Wyoming chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, said It might be best for hunters to just keep acting under the assumption that the 10th Circuit Court’s decision settled the matter and continue to corner cross

Why It Likely Doesn’t Make Any Difference That The Corner Crossing Bill Died

Hunters and law enforcement told Cowboy State Daily that the failure to pass a corner crossing bill really doesn’t make any difference. Just consider that the 10th Circuit Court’s decision settled the matter and continue to corner cross, they say.

Mark HeinzMarch 04, 2026

Colorado allows only cage traps for species such as bobcats. Some want to ban the commercial sale of wildlife fur there; trappers say it’s a ruse to try banning trapping altogether.

Colorado Braces For Mob Scene Over Proposal To Ban Sale Of Trapped Fur

A push to ban the sale of trapped wildlife fur has become an emotional powder keg in Colorado, with a vote on it expected Wednesday. Opponents say it’s an “extremist” move by “vegans and vegetarians," while supporters call it closing a loophole.

Mark HeinzMarch 04, 2026

Tale Of Two Winters: Almost No Snow For Wyoming, While East Got Hammered

It’s been a tale of two winters around the U.S., with Wyoming and other parts of the West getting almost no snow. Meanwhile, the East has been getting hammered. “We have never seen anything of this magnitude in modern times,” meteorologist Don Day says.

Andrew RossiMarch 03, 2026

A young grizzly bear and two wolves had a close encounter in Yellowstone National Park. It was a passing moment, not the beginning of a best-buddies relationship between the apex predators.

Don't Read Too Much Into A Peaceful Moment Between Yellowstone Wolves And Grizzly

Although a spectacular photo taken by a wildlife photographer in Yellowstone may give the illusion that this grizzly and two wolves are buddies, they're not. Biologist Cecily Costello said It just means they’ve decided fighting right then wasn't worth the risk.

Mark HeinzMarch 02, 2026

Sheridan Community Land Trust leads a walking tour of history along Soldier Ridge Trail.

Instead of ‘Keep Out,’ Wyoming Rancher Invites People To ‘Come Hike’ On His Property

Many private ranches in Wyoming are more likely to post “Keep Out” signs than invite people to hike on their land. One rancher took a chance a decade ago, and the result is a legacy trail that will forever protect the view for Sheridan’s western edge.

Renée JeanMarch 01, 2026

Dan Kinneman of Riverton has been hunting crows since he was 14. He’s says crows are harder to hunt than ducks and geese, because they’re smarter.

Wyoming Crow Hunters Can Blast All They Want, But Nobody Eats The Birds

Mention of bird hunting might conjure up images of hunters and dogs pounding the brush in hopes of kicking up pheasants. But crow hunting is a thing in Wyoming too. No license is required, and there’s no bag limit. Hunters can just blast away.

Mark HeinzMarch 01, 2026

Wildlife biologists examine a mountain lion during research into the interactions between mountain lions and wolves in Yellowstone National Park.

Why Scientists Doped Up Mountain Lions And Climbed Down Trees With Them In Yellowstone

Faced with the quandary of how to get mountain lions out of trees for scientific analysis, researchers dosed them with ketamine, then climbed up to place harnesses on the still-conscious cats. “It’s definitely a little wild," one of the scientists said.

Mark HeinzFebruary 28, 2026

How Yellowstone's 'Soap Scum' Bacteria Could Change The World

A widespread bacteria called "soap scum" grows in Yellowstone National Park's thermal pools that on the surface doesn't seem that unique. Ongoing studies into this complex organism are revealing that how it survives might also help humanity survive.

Andrew RossiFebruary 28, 2026

Mobs Of Elk Leave National Elk Refuge Near Jackson With ‘False Sense Of Early Spring'

With what locals say is an unprecedentedly mild winter, elk are bailing out of the National Elk Refuge near Jackson, apparently thinking it's spring already. "Because the snowpack is so low, there is little reason to be there," said one photographer.

Mark HeinzFebruary 27, 2026

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