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Headshot of Cowboy State Daily's outdoor and wildlife reporter, Mark Heinz.
Outdoors Reporter

Mark Heinz

Mark Heinz covers the outdoors and wildlife for Cowboy State Daily.

He previously worked or freelanced for numerous newspapers and magazines across Wyoming, Idaho and Montana covering all manner of news and feature stories. He has a strong background in topics related to wildlife, hunting, and wildlands conservation. Hes written extensively since the 1990s about the controversies surrounding wolves, grizzly bears and mustangs.

He also enjoys people-centric stories with quirky edge of humor and has written several such pieces for Cowboy State Daily. 

Mark lives in Laramie with his wife, Kendy, and the youngest of their five children.

Latest from Mark Heinz

As an experienced elk hunter, Russel Rogers knows numerous events can spoil a hunt, but one thing he never expected was a huge helicopter appearing practically out of nowhere and dumping plumes of water almost on top of him.

Sheridan Man's Elk Hunt Ruined When Helicopter Dumps Water On Top Of Him

A Sheridan man says his elk hunt was ruined when a helicopter appeared above him in the Bighorn Mountains and dumped huge plumes of water on top of him. The Forest Service said it was a training flight and the crew probably didn't know he was there.

Mark HeinzSeptember 24, 2026

Conner Anthony Brown, a former Gillette baseball coach, faces a felony charge in Montana for allegedly lying about his residency to get hunting tags. He's no longer with the Gillette organization.

Ex-Gillette Coach Charged With Lying About Montana Residency For Hunting Tags

A former Gillette baseball coach is charged with lying about his residency to get hunting tags in Montana and killing a black bear, mountain lion, and white-tailed deer buck. If convicted, he could lose hunting privileges in all 50 states for life.

Mark HeinzSeptember 23, 2026

Trump ladders 9 22 26

Trump Order Could Finally Settle Heated Corner-Crossing Debate In Hunters’ Favor

President Trump has moved to settle the corner-crossing issue with an executive order that appears to favor hunters, supporters say. A fact sheet released by the White House says it will include efforts to “unlock checkerboarded and landlocked parcels.”

Mark HeinzSeptember 23, 2026

Bowhunter Ron Niziolek poses with a bull he shot Sept. 19, 2025. The photo was taken the next morning after he discovered the elk was partially eaten by a grizzly.

Cody Bowhunter Says He Did Nothing Wrong By Leaving Elk Partly Devoured By Grizzly

A Cody bowhunter said he did nothing wrong by leaving an elk that was partly devoured by a grizzly. Although he was charged by Game and Fish, he said skinning and quartering an elk with likely-tainted meat wasn't worth the risk of a grizzly confrontation.

Mark HeinzSeptember 22, 2026

Hunters apparently took about five days to reach the four-wolf limit in an area where the famous Mollie’s pack denned, but no members of Yellowstone National Park's oldest pack were killed, a Wyoming Game and Fish official said Monday.

Game And Fish Confirms No Mollie's Pack Wolves Killed As Hunt Quota Reached

It took five days for hunters to reach the four-wolf quota in the Shoshone National Forest hunt areas where the famous Mollie’s Pack denned over the summer. Wyoming Game and Fish confirms that no wolves from Yellowstone's oldest pack were killed.

Mark HeinzSeptember 22, 2026

Hunter Craig Ritchey and guide Mollie Dahl look for a pronghorn buck near Jeffrey City during the One Shot Antelope Hunt on Sept. 19, 2026.

Wyoming’s One-Shot Antelope Hunt Is All About Dropping A Buck With One Bullet 

The One Shot Antelope Hunt, a central Wyoming staple since 1940, is a test of skill for hunters — drop a buck pronghorn with a single shot. As hunters discovered near Jeffrey City on Saturday, it isn’t easy.

Mark HeinzSeptember 21, 2026

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