[Rockhounds] Being a rockhound can be hazardous out west.

[Paul]

Being a rockhound can be hazardous out west.

First, there are manmade hazards:

???Cyanide bombs??? use reauthorized to kill wild animals
The traps have caused unintentional deaths, but Wildlife
Services can continue to employ them to protect livestock
and farm crops. Jimmy Tobias Hugh Country News
https://www.hcn.org/articles/wildlife-cyanide-bombs-use-reauthorized-to-kill-wild-animals

Finally, nature presents it own hazards.

Wildlife Staff Outside Denver Work To Stop The Spread
 ??Of Plague Among Prairie Dogs, Heard on All Things
Considered, August 21, 2019
https://www.npr.org/2019/08/21/753213208/wildlife-staff-outside-denver-work-to-stop-the-spread-of-plague-among-prairie-do

Plague wipes out prairie dogs, ferrets at Montana's UL Bend
Karl Puckett, Great Falls Tribune, May 23, 2019
https://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/news/2019/05/23/plague-wipes-out-prairie-dogs-ferrets-montanas-ul-bend/1208628001/

Plague-infected prairie dogs prompt shutdowns
near Denver. Fleas can spread it to pets and humans.
By Morgan Krakow , Washington Post, August 18, 2019
https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2019/08/18/plague-infected-prairie-dogs-prompt-shutdowns-denver-fleas-can-spread-it-pets-humans/

Yours,

Paul H.