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. He's 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
âNo-Brainerâ: Bill To Restore Concealed Carry For Some Felons Passes Easily
A bill to restore the rights of non-violent felons to concealed firearms permits was described as âawesomeâ and a "no-brainer" by members of both parties in a Legislative committee that passed it Friday.
Mark HeinzMarch 01, 2024
Game And Fish: Two-Thirds Of Prized Wyoming Mule Deer Herd Killed Last Winter
Last yearâs catastrophic winter killed nearly two-thirds of one of Wyomingâs premier mule deer herds, according to a new Game and Fish report released Thursday.
Mark HeinzMarch 01, 2024
Bill To Reintroduce Bighorns In Remote Wyoming Sails Thru Committee
Despite some opposition, a bill that could clear a path toward bighorn sheep reintroduction in remote central Wyoming sailed through a committee Thursday on its way to the state House floor.
Mark HeinzMarch 01, 2024
Colorado Wolves Likely To Cross Into Wyoming Within Weeks Where They Can Be Shot
Some of Coloradoâs wolves have been pushing north, toward the Wyoming state line. It's likely just a matter of weeks before some cross over into Wyoming, where they can be shot on sight.
Mark HeinzFebruary 29, 2024
Wardens Seek Wolf Poacher Near Yellowstone Just Across Wyoming Border
Montana game wardens are looking for a poacher who illegally shot a wolf in the Gardiner area just north of the Wyoming border near Yellowstone National Park.
Mark HeinzFebruary 28, 2024
Only Two Wyoming House Republicans Opposed Bill To Eliminate Gun-Free Zones
A bill to eliminate gun-free zones passed by a massive 54 - 7 margin on Tuesday with only two Republicans voting against it. One said he opposed it because a school district should have the right to decide while another wouldn't return calls or emails to explain his position.
Mark HeinzFebruary 28, 2024
House Votes To Eliminate Wyomingâs Gun-Free Zones
A bill that would eliminate gun-free zones in Wyoming schools and some other public places was passed by the state House by a wide margin Tuesday.
Mark HeinzFebruary 28, 2024
Bill To Promote Wyomingâs âOtherâ Outdoor Rec Options Sails Through
Bill to help Wyoming could become hot destinations for outdoor recreation outside major draws sails through Senate committee Tuesday.
Mark HeinzFebruary 27, 2024
Bill To Stop Credit Card Tracking Of Gun Sales In Wyoming Advances
A bill to ban credit card companies from tracking firearms purchases in Wyoming was passed by the state Senate on Friday. It could prevent what amounts to a federal gun registry, supporters say.
Mark HeinzFebruary 26, 2024
Ask Cowboy State Daily: Can I Eat A Wolf? Wyoming Chefs Respond
Itâs legal to shoot wolves on sight in most of Wyoming, which raised the question with a Cowboy State Daily reader: "What if I shoot a wolf and want to eat it?" We talked to some Wyoming chefs about it.
Mark HeinzFebruary 26, 2024
Rare âFrankendeerâ Crossbreeding No Threat To Wyoming Mule Deer
Mule deer-whitetail âfrankendeerâ hybrids are extremely rare, but not unheard of in Wyoming. They generally arenât good survivors, and crossbreeding isnât an imminent threat to prized mule deer populations.
Mark HeinzFebruary 24, 2024
Bills Managing Wyoming Bighorn Sheep, Elk And Whitetails Gain Traction
Two weeks into the legislative session, bills that would split mule deer and whitetail hunting seasons, compensate ranchers hungry elk gobble and reintroduce bighorn sheep to remote central Wyoming gain traction.
Mark HeinzFebruary 24, 2024
Wyoming Dealers Say Gila Monsters Not Good Pets After Bite Kills Colorado Man
A Colorado man died after being bitten by his pet Gila monster -- which have been known to deliver a fatal amount of venom. That's why Wyoming exotic pet dealers say that Gila monsters are usually best left in the wild.
Mark HeinzFebruary 23, 2024
Senate Committee Passes Bill To Let Wyoming Create Its Own State Guard
A bill allowing Wyoming to organize its own state militia or guard that passed through to the Senate floor Tuesday would be organized with a chain of command, not just a bunch of guys with guns.
Mark HeinzFebruary 23, 2024
Retired Forest Service Cop Gets Fine, House Arrest For Stealing Horses
A Wyoming man was sentenced to house arrest and to pay $15,000 on Wednesday for illegally keeping government horses â and trying to switch them out with his own â when he retired as a Forest Service law enforcement officer.
Mark HeinzFebruary 22, 2024
âQueen Of The Tetonsâ: New Documentary Of Grizzly 399 Released
The world's most famous bear, Grizzly 399, is now a movie star. A new documentary, â399: Queen of the Tetons,â just debuted and will make a run on the national wildlife film festival circuit before being released on a streaming service.
Mark HeinzFebruary 22, 2024
Wyoming Whitetail Deer: Are They A âNoxious Weed,â Or Do They Belong?
Wyoming Senate President Ogden Driskill said whitetail deer are essentially an invasive species â a ânoxious weedâ â but others argue theyâre every bit as native to Wyoming as mule deer.
Mark HeinzFebruary 21, 2024
Explosive Testimony: Aggressive ATF Agents Raided Wyoming Man's Home For Firearms
Last November, ATF agents dragged a Wyoming man from his house in his underwear even as he was screaming that he had a certificate authorizing him to possess firearms, a gun rights advocate told legislators on Tuesday.
Mark HeinzFebruary 20, 2024
Rancher Says Bringing Bighorn Sheep Back To Remote Wyoming A Bad Idea
Cattle rancher Troy Corbett says he and other ranchers worry that bringing bighorn sheep back to the remote Sweetwater Rocks area in central Wyoming will give federal agencies leverage to push cattle and sheep off grazing leases.
Mark HeinzFebruary 20, 2024
Critics Say Paying Wyoming Ranchers For Grass-Gobbling Elk Could Break Budget
Critics worry that a bill that proposes to pay ranchers for forage that elk herds eat will break the budget of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Others say ranchers can't keep taking losses and deserve compensation.
Mark HeinzFebruary 19, 2024
Are Wyoming's Wild Horses As âInvasiveâ As Cocaine Hippos And Australiaâs Camels?
Wild horses in Wyoming, hippos in Colombia and camels in Australia are seen as invasive feral species by many. A group of scientists, however, are arguing that invasive species can be beneficial to the ecosystem.
Mark HeinzFebruary 18, 2024