oops... not familiar with the fauna of the "great sky country" (yup, I know that's Montana, but..)

rilly, Dennis, I was thinkin' more along the lines of ocotillo (whip-like, and covered with NASTY LONG THORNS) or mesquite, or ironwood- all tenacious buttwhoopers...

I got an ocotillo thorn in the back of my thigh in the very early sixites (tobogganing in the sandhills, --REALLY- El Paso got a foot or so OF SNOW that ONE time that I remember)-

I thought I got it all out- then a couple of years later I developed a bad irritation, then much inflammation and swelling, and felt like I had blood poisoning- finally, after enough messing with the boil-appearing site, the end of the thorn popped out. OUCH.

I'd NEVER use one on anyone.
('ceptin' Hanoi Jane, or Tom Hayden, or Michael Moore, or John Kerry, or Ted Turner, or ....)

WestTexasTom