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

Rediscovery Of âExtinctâ Rabbit Mirrors Finding Wyoming Black-Footed Ferrets
A rabbit species thought to be extinct for 120 years was recently found in Mexico, mirroring the rediscovery of black-footed ferrets near Meeteetse, Wyoming, in 1981.
Mark HeinzMarch 05, 2025

Wolf Torture Leads List Of New High-Profile Wyoming Wildlife Laws
A âclean-killâ predator law prompted by the high-profile torture of a wolf leads a list of new Wyoming wildlife rules. This 2025 session also saw new regulations for fishing guides and dogs caught in traps.
Mark HeinzMarch 05, 2025

Wyoming Canât Cut Trees Fast Or Soon Enough, Timber Industry Says
Wyoming needs to kick its timber cutting into high gear or risk another catastrophic wildfire season, foresters told the Legislature on Tuesday. The danger is especially high in the Black Hills region, they say.
Mark HeinzMarch 04, 2025

Laramie Firefighter Paralyzed After Being Crushed In House Fire Collapse
A Laramie firefighter is facing a long rehabilitation after being paralyzed when a stone fireplace chase collapsed on him while fighting a house fire late Friday. His father told Cowboy State Daily that doctors believe his spinal cord is still intact.
Mark HeinzMarch 03, 2025

Wyoming Hunter Beats Huge Odds, Draws âSuper Tag Trifectaâ To Hunt 3 Species
Nate Miller of Thermopolis put in for Wyomingâs Super Tag hunting tag raffle, not expecting to win anything. He beat astronomical odds to drew the most coveted prize of all, the three-species âtrifectaâ tag.
Mark HeinzMarch 01, 2025

Wyoming Is Fifth State To Allow Guns In Public Schools Without Special Permission
With its pending elimination of gun-free zones, Wyoming will join New Hampshire, Alabama, Oregon and Utah in allowing people to carry concealed firearm in public school â without requiring the schoolsâ permission.
Mark HeinzFebruary 28, 2025

Plans For $19.5M Wyoming Shooting Complex Stall As Senate Pulls Promised $10M
Boosters of a $19.5 million shooting complex south of Cody, Wyoming, hoped to start construction in April. Those hopes were dashed Friday when the state Senate declined to release $10 million in promised money for the project.
Mark HeinzFebruary 28, 2025

Nobody Can Figure Out Why Someone Cut Off And Took Mountain Lionâs Tail
Investigators are baffled by the case of somebody killing a mountain lion in Montana, and then cutting off and taking the animalâs head and tail. Taking a head makes sense, officials say, but the tail is baffling.
Mark HeinzFebruary 27, 2025

Anti-Wolf Torture Bill Clears The Legislature, Headed To Gordonâs Desk
A bill calling for possible felony charges against people who torture predators cleared the Legislature on Wednesday and is headed to Gov. Mark Gordonâs desk.
Mark HeinzFebruary 27, 2025

Forest Service Chiefâs Departure Fine By Us, Says Wyoming Delegation
Wyomingâs congressional delegation say theyâre just fine with Wednesdayâs surprise announcement that U.S. Forest Service chief Randy Moore is quitting. Rep. Harriet Hageman said it was welcome news as he mismanaged the agency.
Sean Barry & Mark HeinzFebruary 27, 2025

Wyoming Grizzlies Could Start Waking Up Any Day, Will Grizzly 399âs Cub Show?
Wyomingâs grizzlies should start emerging from hibernation any time now, but nobodyâs sure if Grizzly 399âs cub, Spirit, will be among them.
Mark HeinzFebruary 26, 2025

You Can Shoot A Vicious Dog In Wyoming, But Be Prepared To Back It Up
Concealed firearms carriers can legally shoot attacking dogs but should be prepared to back their stories up, self-defense experts say. It can be more complicated in a populated area, even leading to potential endangering charges.
Mark HeinzFebruary 25, 2025

Bill Aims To Protect Wyoming Rodeo From Animal Activists
Cody Republican Rachel Rodriguez-Williams says Wyomingâs rodeos need protection from animal rights activists. Her bill to protect rodeo passed out of committee Tuesday, while detractors claim it could open the door to puppy mills and dog fighting.
Mark HeinzFebruary 25, 2025

Wyoming Hunters Say Proposed 100,000-Acre Land Swap Would Be A Raw Deal
An exchange of roughly 100,000 acres between the federal government and a ranch in southcentral Wyoming would improve recreational access, supporters say. But Cowboy State hunters say the swap would be a raw deal.
Mark HeinzFebruary 25, 2025

Bill To Regulate Fishing Guides In Wyoming Clears State Senate
Fishing guides on both sides of the Wyoming-Colorado state line voiced support for a bill that could prevent the mobbing of Wyomingâs prized trout waters. The bill to regulate fishing guides cleared the Senate on Monday.
Mark HeinzFebruary 24, 2025

âTurkish Revolutionâ Hits American Firearms Scene With Cheap, Plentiful Imports
Turkish firearms were once considered a joke in the United States. Now theyâre becoming wildly popular with American shooters, frequently selling for a fraction of the price of domestic brands.
Mark HeinzFebruary 23, 2025

Colorado Senate Passes Sweeping Ban On Semiautomatic Firearms
Colorado lawmakers are one step closer to passing a sweeping gun ban on semiautomatic rifles, shotguns and pistols. A Wyoming gun rights advocate called it one of the nationâs most restrictive gun laws.
Mark HeinzFebruary 22, 2025

Wyoming Familyâs Winchester Rifle Has Been Dropping Deer For A Century
A Winchester Model 1894 rifle has been in Cheyenne resident Bob Buddâs family for a century. He says it still shoots straight and symbolizes a connection with the past as his grandfather and father killed their first deer with it, as did Budd and his two sons.
Mark HeinzFebruary 22, 2025

Repeal Of Gun-Free Zones Is Close To Gov. Gordonâs Desk â Will He Veto It Again?
For the second year in a row, the Wyoming Legislature is close to giving Gov. Mark Gordon a bill to eliminate gun-free zones in the state. Gordon vetoed it last year, but isnât saying if heâll sign, veto or let it pass without a signature this year.
Mark HeinzFebruary 21, 2025

'Clean Kill' For Predators Bill Advances â Without Wolf-Whacking Ban
A controversial âclean killâ for predators bill advanced Thursday. That it doesnât include a ban running over wolves with snowmobiles â aka wolf whacking â remains a sticking point for many.
Mark HeinzFebruary 21, 2025

Coyote Hunting Contest Prompts Wyomingites To Weigh Pros, Cons Of Events
Supporters of coyote hunting contests say that theyâre helping big game herds. Opponents claim the events accomplish nothing and make Wyoming look bad.
Mark HeinzFebruary 21, 2025

Wyoming Legislator Pushes Back On Claim Shooting Prairie Dogs Is âPsychopathicâ
A retired professor told a Wyoming legislative committee Thursday that shooting prairie dogs is âpsychopathic.â That raised the hackles of the sponsor of a bill to allow shooting the critters from vehicles. Itâs about pest management, he says.
Mark HeinzFebruary 20, 2025

Coyote Hunt Organizer Says She's Getting Death Threats Over Upcoming Event
An organizer of a coyote predator hunting contest in Sublette County says sheâs getting death threats because people are perceiving it to be a âcelebrationâ of the torture and killing of a wolf there last year.
Mark HeinzFebruary 19, 2025

Repeal of Wyomingâs Gun-Free Zones Clear Major Hurdle, Headed To Senate
A bill to repeal Wyomingâs gun-free zone was unanimously approved by a Wyoming Senate committee on Tuesday, and will head to the Senate Floor. Testimony included input from âMore Guns, Less Crimeâ author John Lott.
Mark HeinzFebruary 19, 2025

Eastern Black Bears Are Blimps, Dwarfing Wyoming Grizzlies
In Wyoming, a black bear over 400 pounds is considered a rare trophy. But back East, it would be puny. Bears there gorge on fresh crops and sometimes top 800 pounds.
Mark HeinzFebruary 18, 2025

Colorado âMystery Wolfâ Might Be From Wyoming
Fifteen wolves from Canada, have been spreading out across northwest Colorado after being released last month. Thereâs also reportedly another mystery wolf running around, although nobody is sure where it came from. It might be from Wyoming.
Mark HeinzFebruary 17, 2025

Outdoor Cats Are "Murder Machines" Killing Over 1 Billion Birds Every Year, Say Biologists
Letting pet cats out to roam might seem like itâs doing them a favor, but donât be fooled â Fluffy is a murder machine. âThe estimates are that cats in the U.S. kill a billion birds a year. A billion,â one wildlife biologist told Cowboy State Daily.
Mark HeinzFebruary 16, 2025

Gillette Man Builds Black Powder Cannons, Lets Kids Shoot Them
What began as an outreach for troubled youth led to a Gillette machinist's shop becoming a black powder cannon and mortar factory. Now he builds cannons and lets kids shoot in a safe, controlled environment with adult supervision.
Mark HeinzFebruary 16, 2025

Wyoming Must 'Close The Door' On Running Over Wolves With Snowmobiles, Schmid Says
Though his bill to ban running predators over with snowmobiles failed, Wyoming Rep. Mike Schmid says heâs determined to âclose the doorâ on the practice in Wyoming.
Mark HeinzFebruary 16, 2025

Gun Owners Expect Trump To Lift Nearly 100-Year-Old Restrictions On Silencers
Under the Trump administration, Wyoming gun rights advocates hope that a 91-year-old restriction on suppressors â aka silencers â will be lifted. However, nobody expects fully automatic weapons to become readily available.
Mark HeinzFebruary 15, 2025

Trump Order Might Help Wyoming Couple Get Back Guns Seized By ATF
Thanks to an executive order from President Donald Trump, a Sheridan couple who lost their guns in an ATF raid might get them back.
Mark HeinzFebruary 15, 2025

Sportsmen Rally Against âBad Billsâ They Say Would Ruin Wyomingâs Outdoor Paradise
With what they call âbad billsâ being considered by the Wyoming Legislature, a group of hunters and anglers rallied outside the Capitol on Thursday. They say average people need more political clout to keep Wyoming an outdoor paradise.
Mark HeinzFebruary 14, 2025

With Repeal Of Wyomingâs Gun-Free Zones Likely, Opponents Ask For Exceptions
Even some opponents of a bill to repeal Wyomingâs gun-free zones seemed resigned to it likely passing during testimony before legislators Thursday. Now theyâre asking for exceptions.
Mark HeinzFebruary 14, 2025

Trump Picks Former Wyoming Game And Fish Chief Nesvik To Head Fish And Wildlife
Only months after retiring as director of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Brian Nesvik has been picked by President Donald Trump to head the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Mark HeinzFebruary 12, 2025

Legislators: If Stateâs Paying $90M For New La Prele Dam, Public Needs Access
If $90 million of Wyoming taxpayer money is going toward rebuilding the LaPrele Dam near Douglas, the public should have recreational access to the reservoir, legislators say.
Mark HeinzFebruary 11, 2025

âShot Heard âRound The Worldâ Observance To Honor 250th Anniversary Of Revolutionary War
Kevin Cox has organized an event on April 19 where gun owners in all 50 states will fire their guns at the same time on the 250th anniversary of the Revolutionary War, otherwise known as the "Shot Heard 'Round The World."
Mark HeinzFebruary 11, 2025

Wyoming Redneck Chronicles, Part 2: Cheyenne Mechanic's .50 Caliber Black Powder Cannon
A fully-functional miniature black powder cannon sounds like the dream of many a Wyoming manâs inner 14-year-old. Cheyenne mechanic Geno Stecks agrees his .50 caliber piece â modeled after a Revolutionary War Naval gun â is an absolute hoot.Â
Mark HeinzFebruary 09, 2025

Are Wyoming Mountain Lions Better At Killing Each Other Than Hunters Are At Killing Them?
The best hunters of mountain lions? Mountain lions. A study of mountain lions in the Snowy Range Mountains suggests that the big cats can control their own population just as well, or better, than hunters can.
Mark HeinzFebruary 09, 2025

Meet Tiny, A 2,000-Pound Texas Longhorn And Officially Registered Emotional Support Animal
Fed up with the âemotional support animal crock of crap,â a Texan decided it would be funny to try registering his massive longhorn steer as an emotional support animal. It worked.
Mark HeinzFebruary 08, 2025

Feds Will Listen To Wyoming This Time About BLM Rock Springs Plan, Former Trump Interior Official SaysÂ
A former high-ranking Dept of Interior official told Cowboy State Daily that the BLM's Rock Springs area plan will likely be heavily revised toward Wyomingâs liking and will be "very respectful" of Gov. Mark Gordon's recommendations.
Mark HeinzFebruary 07, 2025

Without Stiffer Trespass Law, There Could Be Gunfights, âBlood On The Prairie,â Lawmaker Says
A bill that would have stiffened Wyomingâs hunting trespass penalties died in committee on Thursday. The billâs sponsor warned of violence if more isnât done to curb trespassing. "I fear there will be shootouts and blood on the prairie,â Rep. Allemand said
Mark HeinzFebruary 06, 2025

Trump Administration Shuts Down Controversial Biden-Era Rock Springs Management PlanÂ
Sweetwater County officials were thrilled at news that a controversial federal land management plan had been shut down by the Trump administration. Newly-appointed Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum made the decision late Wednesday.
Mark HeinzFebruary 06, 2025

Wyoming Game And Fish Director Says âStars Are Alignedâ For Grizzly Delisting
Wyoming Game and Fish Director Angi Bruce told legislators Tuesday that getting grizzlies delisted is a top priority for the agency. âI think the stars are aligned,â she said.
Mark HeinzFebruary 04, 2025

In Brief: Bill To Regulate Out-Of-State Fishing Passes House
A bill intended to prevent Wyomingâs prized fishing waters from being mobbed by out-of-state guides passed the Wyoming House on Monday and is headed for the Senate.
Mark HeinzFebruary 04, 2025

Shooting Complex Budget Swells To $19.5M, Including $3.5M More From State
The anticipated budget for a âworld-classâ shooting complex near Cody, Wyoming, is up from $10 million to $19.5 million, including another $3.5 million from the state.
Mark HeinzFebruary 04, 2025

Wyomingites Could Concealed Carry In All 50 States Under Bills Trump Favors
Wyomingites might be able to carry concealed firearms in all 50 states, if Trump-backed legislation passes Congress. A pair of bills making their way through Congress would make concealed carry permits valid in all states.
Mark HeinzFebruary 04, 2025

Like Wolves, Wyomingâs Stray Cats Arenât Protected From Torture
Wyomingâs stray cats could end up benefiting from a push to protect wolves from torture. Like wolves, theyâre considered predators, and some advocate for controlling their numbers through spaying or neutering rather than shooting them.
Mark HeinzFebruary 02, 2025

Apparently, Few Knew Itâs Illegal To Blast Wyoming Prairie Dogs From A Vehicle
A Casper-area man said it took him by surprise to learn that shooting prairie dogs from a vehicle is illegal. Another avid hunter said he also didnât know because itâs such a common practice in Wyoming.
Mark HeinzFebruary 01, 2025

Lobbyist: Tracking Sales Part Of ESG Scheme To Put Gun Stores Out Of Business
A Second Amendment advocate says Wyomingâs law against tracking credit card sales of guns and ammunition is âweakâ and plays into an ESG scheme to put gun stores out of business. He also says it could put people at risk of getting on a federal registry.
Mark HeinzJanuary 31, 2025

Less Than A Year After Dog Named Jester Died In Trap, Trapping Reform Moves Forward
A tearful Becky Barber of Afton, Wyoming, testified for a state Senate committee about how her dog Jester had his throat crushed by a beaver trap last February. She was among those supporting a trapping reform bill, which unanimously passed.
Mark HeinzJanuary 30, 2025

Legislators Say They Want To Protect Real Service Animals, Not âFluffy Dogâ Pets
A bill passed by a Senate committee Wednesday says people should be allowed to train their service dogs in public in Wyoming. It also calls for severe penalties for those who want allowances for their âfluffy dogâ pets.
Mark HeinzJanuary 30, 2025

Open Season On Wyoming Mountain Lions Would Be Overkill, Hunters Say
A proponent of an open season on mountain lions says a bill allowing year-round hunting would save Wyomingâs prized mule deer. But some mountain lion hunters argue it could wipe out the big cats.
Mark HeinzJanuary 29, 2025

Bill Would Reverse Ban On Shooting Prairie Dogs From Your Truck
A Wyoming man told legislators that he and his friends were flabbergasted when a game warden confronted them about illegally shooting prairie dogs from a pickup. A House committee voted Tuesday for a bill that would make that legal.
Mark HeinzJanuary 29, 2025

Some Say Legislative Response To Wyoming Wolf Torture Doesnât Go Far Enough
Lawmakers unanimously advanced a bill that would outlaw torturing wolves and other predators Tuesday. But some Wyomingites say running animals over with snowmobiles should also be banned.
Mark HeinzJanuary 29, 2025

Bill To Split Whitetail-Mule Deer Season Dies On Senate Floor
After another round of debate over whether to split hunting seasons for Wyomingâs white-tailed deer and mule deer, the latest effort to do so died on the Senate floor Monday.
Mark HeinzJanuary 28, 2025

Casper Turkeys Wear Out Their Welcome: 145 Removed So Far Through Trapping Program
If a trap-and-release program succeeds, Casper will no longer be wild turkey central. So far, 145 of the big, obnoxious birds have been caught and released back into the wild.
Mark HeinzJanuary 27, 2025

Allowing Landowners To Sell Hunting Tags Would Make Wyoming Wildlife Sport For The Rich, Opponents Say
A proposal to allow landowners to sell their hunting tags would make hunting in Wyoming the sport of kings, opponents say. It would amount to ânothing more than the exploitation and monetization of our wildlife resources," said Muley Fanatics Foundation CEO Josh Coursey.
Mark HeinzJanuary 27, 2025