MDC offers frog gigging clinic in Mississippi County

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo.  – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) invites families to discover nature at a frog gigging clinic from 6:30 p.m. to midnight Saturday, July 11, at Ten Mile Pond Conservation Area. The clinic is free and open to youth ages 7 to 17 and their parent or adult mentor. Preregistration is required by July 6.

“Frog gigging, or frogging, is a great way to enjoy Missouri’s fish, forests and wildlife while putting good food on the table,” said Conservation Agent Andrew Mothershead.

The clinic will start with a classroom session on the basics of frog gigging safety, equipment, identification and regulations. Participants will go frogging with the help of MDC personnel and learn how to clean and cook their catch.

“Catching frogs can be a fun and exciting activity for the whole family,” said Mothershead.  “If all goes right, frog legs are the reward after a successful night of gigging.”

Frogs can be legally harvested with either fishing or hunting permits, as long as the method matches the permit. With a fishing permit, frogs may be harvested by hand, hand net, atlatl, gig, bow, trotline, throw line, limb line, bank line, jug line, snagging, snaring, grabbing or pole and line during frog season. With a hunting permit, frogs may be harvested using .22-caliber or smaller rimfire rifle or pistol, pellet gun, bow, crossbow, atlatl or by hand or hand net.

This year’s frog season begins at sunset June 30 and continues through Oct. 31. The daily limit is eight bullfrogs or green frogs and 16 in possession. Children under the age of 16 and adults over 65 are not required to have a permit.

To register for the frog gigging clinic, or for more information, contact the Southeast Regional Office at 573-290-5730. To learn about other Discover Nature programs in Southeast Missouri, visit mdc.mo.gov/CapeNatureCenter or text nature to 91212.

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“Frog days” of summer begin at sunset June 30

Put down the blackberry bucket and pick up a frog gig.

Courtesy MDC

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Missourians can celebrate summer with a favorite outdoor pastime, as frogging season begins at sunset June 30.

Frogging can be practiced with either a fishing permit or a hunting permit. The Wildlife Code of Missouri allows those with a fishing permit to take frogs by hand net, gig, trotline, throw line, limb line, bank line, jug line, snagging, snaring, grabbing or pole and line.

With a hunting permit, you can harvest frogs using a .22-caliber firearm, pellet gun, atlatl, by hand or hand net and with a longbow or crossbow. The use of an artificial light is permitted when frogging. Children under the age of 16 and adults over the age of 65 are not required to have a permit.

Missouri has two species – bullfrog and green frog – that are legal game. Bullfrogs are larger and therefore more sought-after, but the legs of both species are delicious. The taste and texture of frog meat is similar to fresh-water fish.

The daily limit is eight frogs of both species combined. If you catch eight frogs before midnight, you can start frogging again at 12:01 a.m. and catch another day’s limit. However, it is not legal to possess more than one day’s limit while on the water, so you must put your first limit in a cooler before starting on the second day’s limit. The possession limit allows you to store no more than 16 frogs at a time.

Once a frog is speared, it must be harvested. The Wildlife Code of Missouri prohibits release of a speared frog as “wanton waste” because the animal is not likely to recover. However, a frog is not fatally injured by methods such as grabbing or pole and line and thus may be released.

Frogging season ends Oct. 31, so grab a gig and head to the pond or simply grab a frog and head to the fryer before the frog days of summer are over.