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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

he North Platte River’s Miracle Mile section near Casper is a prized trout fishery. There’s concern that a pumped water storage project on Seminoe Reservoir could ruin the fishery

Critics Say Seminoe Project Threatens Miracle Mile Trout Fishery, Casper's Water

Critics told legislators Thursday that a proposed 972-megawatt power project at Seminoe Reservoir in Carbon County could threaten Wyoming’s legendary Miracle Mile trout fishery. It also could impact Casper’s water supply, they said.

Mark HeinzMay 28, 2026

Wyoming is killing more "conflict" grizzlies than would be killed by hunters if the bears were delisted, Wyoming Game and Fish Director Angi Bruce said Wednesday. One legislator said that if the goal is to kill fewer grizzlies, hunting might be the better option.

Director Says Game And Fish Likely Killing More Grizzlies Than Hunters Would

Wyoming is killing more "conflict" grizzlies than would be killed by hunters if the bears were delisted, the state Game and Fish director said Wednesday. One legislator said that if the goal is to kill fewer grizzlies, hunting might be the better option.

Mark HeinzMay 27, 2026

Miracle, a 2.5-year-old female grizzly, passed through the Colter Bay area in Grand Teton National Park on Sunday almost a year to the day since appearing in the same spot in May 2025.

Hooray! Miracle The Young Grizzly Survives Winter, Shows Up At Colter Bay

After losing both of her siblings to a male grizzly’s attack last spring and then splitting from her mother at an unusually tender age, the young grizzly named Miracle survived winter on her own and showed up at Colter Bay on Sunday.

Mark HeinzMay 26, 2026

This wolverine was spotted earlier this month near the Lower Green River Lakeside Trail in the Wind River Mountains.

Wolverine That Wyoming Hiker Saw In Wind Rivers Was Tracked Over 200 Square Miles

Wyoming biologists say a wolverine that had a rare close-range encounter with a hiker in the Wind River Range mountains is the same animal they’ve been tracking for more than a year. And it has a huge range, being tracked over 200 square miles.

Mark HeinzMay 26, 2026

Opponents of a smartphone app that pings the location of animals in Yellowstone say it will ratchet up the intensity of wildlife mobs. “Yellowstone’s not a zoo,” says a photographer. "We don’t want to know that you can ‘drive 1.5 miles down the road, take a left and see an elk.’"

Critics Say App That Shows Where Yellowstone Wildlife Is Makes Mob Scenes Worse

Critics of a smartphone app that tells users where animals are in Yellowstone say it will make wildlife mob scenes worse. “It will cause a whole bunch of people to drive to the same place at the same time. What could possibly go wrong?” one photographer said.

Mark HeinzMay 24, 2026

A male grizzly called Quill and a female, Snow, delighted crowds by cuddling during their courtship ritual in Yellowstone National Park.

Caught Up In Courtship, Mating Grizzlies In Yellowstone Cause Massive Traffic Jams

It’s grizzly mating season in Yellowstone, and a pair of popular bears were too caught up in courtship to notice gawking crowds. The amorous scene near Yellowstone Lake caused bear jams for at least a quarter mile in each direction for days this week.

Mark HeinzMay 24, 2026

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