Bozeman Magazine

The Wild West has a whole new brand of outlaw—noxious weeds. They steal space from native plants, poison livestock, and blatantly trespass where they’re not wanted. Author Karen Sackett informs readers of all ages of the wily ways of weeds, including the creepy trickster Dalmatian toadflax, which looks like a garden snapdragon but spreads long distances underground, and the hitchhiking outlaw houndstongue, whose Velcro-like burrs cling to fur and clothes. You’ll learn how “special agents” in weed control—insects and goats—are reining in these outlaws, and you’ll find out what you can do to help. Aliases, mug shots, and hangouts of the West’s ten worst outlaw weeds are described in the Most Not Wanted section of the book. Hilarious cartoons, detailed botanical drawings, and colorful photographs will help budding weed vigilantes track down their quarry.

Karen Sackett received her B.A. in Elementary Education at Idaho State University and completed her classwork towards an M.A. in Rehabilitation Counseling for the Deaf at the University of Arizona. She has been published in several national magazines and anthologies including Flying magazine and Chicken Soup for the Soul. She was also a long-standing columnist for the Post Register newspaper is Idaho Falls, Idaho. Originally from Idaho, Karen and her husband have lived for over twenty-five years in a forest near Bozeman, Montana.