The Old West was a place where law, order, and safety often took a backseat to survival. Cowboys, miners, and outlaws roamed dusty frontier towns, forging a harsh world of grit and danger. Yet behind the familiar faces lay a host of unexpected—and often perilous—occupations. From rattlesnake hunters to tunnel diggers, these jobs tested courage, strength, and sometimes sanity. In this article, we’ll saddle up and explore fifteen of the wildest gigs that kept the frontier churning and the legends alive.