Frog gigging instruction with pictures

[SilverZuk]

You must first wait until dark.
Standing around a cooler full of beer is a good way to pass the time and ease the butterflies in your stomach as you open "opening night of frog gigging season".
Once darkness is upon you, grab your trusty gig, coon light, and head to the nearest pond.
Walk around the edges scanning for frogs.
I passed on this little guy, he not the shooter that I am looking for.

[widmayer123]

The only thing you are missing is a couple of buddies and canoes!!

We make a yearly trip down a local creek

[SilverZuk]

We got in the back corner of the pond and spied a mature buck frog sitting in the weeds.
Kevin and I both moved in to back each other up.

Suddenly, the monster frog sprung into action skipping across the weeds.
To our disbelief, he went to the bank under clumps of grass.

Kevin and I jockeyed for position.
I spotted him, I thought he was going to charge instead he broke into a fast hop. I had his path to water blocked, so he went deeper in the bush.

We scanned the grasses when I caught a glimpse of something shiny under a clump of bullrush grass. Not shiny like a sparkling diamond, but frog-leg shiny.

I eased the gig in under the grass and slightly lifted it.
There he was, the trophy frog that we had been looking for.
He had to be at least 4 pounds.

I fed my gig through the bullrush grass within about 10" from him. I was amazed to get such a close shot on a frog that had survived so many previous gigging seasons.

I thrust my gig toward his head, pushed into the mud, twisted, and then eased my prey out for Kevin to see.

"Yep, that's the one we were after - let's go back to the truck and get another beer"

[SilverZuk]

A week ago we had a pretty slow night, only gigged a few.
The air was hot and dry, and most of them were still out in the water.

This weekend I took my cousin's 11 year old boy.
He had a blast.
Scotty and I gigged a few each, but Michael is now the certified Jackson County Frog Slayer.
The first one he gigged was a little small. I gigged a big one and showed him what size we were looking for.
He was making a lap around the pond before I could even work one side.
We tried a few other ponds but only did good in the one.
The moon was full which made it difficult. The frogs could see you coming and would when you would get 20-30 feet away.

We brought home 10 or 11, but all were big.
Here is what we had yesterday morning for breakfast.

[MuddyV8YJ]

how much of that 4 lbs is good eatin?

[SilverZuk]

I suck at frying stuff.
I never can get the batter to stick on anything I fry.
They were good anyway.
Imagine the most mild fish you have ever eaten, though the texture is between fish and chicken.

[SilverZuk]

Originally Posted by MuddyV8YJ

how much of that 4 lbs is good eatin?

You cut off the back legs, skin them, wash them, and eat them.
4 pounds is a slight exaguration.

[DEnd]

Reminds me of 'coon hunting.

First you gotta pick the right Jacket, preferably one with lots of pockets for supplies. Then you load the dogs and guns up in the truck. On the way out of town you gotta stop at the 3 letter supply store. Then you pull into you favorite coon hunting wood pocket your supplies and release the dogs. Then you pull out some of your supplies open one up and take a sip. continue sipping on your supplies untill you think the dogs may have treed a coon. Then say Hey I think they might have one up a tree! your buddy should at this point say they might lets give 'em a few more minutes. At this point you should consume some more of your supplies. Continue this untill you run out of supplies, then call the dogs back and go home.

[DEnd]

Originally Posted by SilverZuk

I suck at frying stuff.
I never can get the batter to stick on anything I fry.
They were good anyway.
Imagine the most mild fish you have ever eaten, though the texture is between fish and chicken.

Dip 'em in milk wash then lay 'em on a (flat) bed of breading about 2"-4" thick and press with even pressure. Turn over and do the same. The batter should stick fine.

[SilverZuk]

Last weekend i had the classic hillbilly weekend.
Friday night I went coon hunting with a neighbor.
We spent a couple hours in the garage workign on his ATV to get it running.
We hook the trailer up to the ATV, go to a buddies and recover his dog box that he had borrowed.
Load box onto trailer, go back to his house and load dogs in box.
Ride out the ridge 1/2 mile and shine a field on the west side of the road (mainly looking to inventory deer).
See two coons. Pull off on side and turn dogs loose. Dogs run directly across the road and go into woods on the east side of the road.
They hunt about 1/2 hour and get back to us.
We put them where we had seen the coons, and they hit the track and took it right to a tree.
We ride the ATV's around the ridge to pinpoint their location (right in the bottom of the hollow).
We ride as close as possible and head over the hill to get dogs.
We shined the tree and spotted a small coon. We get the dogs and move across the ridge.
We hear them locate and mouth on a track, but due to all the house dogs in that area we couldn't hear them.
We rode around the ridge for about an hour listening.
We could hear them treed, but couldn't pinpoint them because all the house dogs barking.
We finally got close enough to hear them, shined the tree and saw the coon.
Got the dogs and went home at 2:30 AM.

[SilverZuk]

The following morning I got up at 6:30 to meet a guy to run squirrel dogs.

I am buying a pup from the guy, and wanted to see his dogs hunt to get an idea what type of dog the pup will be.

We took 1 fiest, 2 mountain curs, and mountain cur pup with us.
The dogs only treed once, but hunted and worked well.
I had already picked the pup I wanted, but told him I may change my mind after they 8 weeks old if I see one I like better that is not spoken for.

[SilverZuk]

That evening we went frog gigging (actually where the first two pics of this thread came from).

Sunday morning I went over to my neighbor's barn after breakfast to shoot a whistle pig. He has several living under the barn and wants rid of them.

I was carrying a 17 HMR. I got up in the loft and checked the front. Went to the back and eased open the door to see one clipping clover about 15 yards away. The problem is, it was off to my right and I shoot right handed.
I chambered around, practiced holding the rifle left handed and scooten on my butt over into the opening.
The little fat bastard was still there.
I steadied againt the side of the door, aimed for the base of the skull and squeezed. I saw her head drop and the tail stick straight up quivering.
I hung out for about a half hour looking for others. I figured I better get her out the sun and into the freezer soon.
So I took her home to skin (nice young and tender one born this year).

[SilverZuk]

Here is how I skin groundhogs and rabbits.

Cut the skin from the base of the tail down the back of each leg.
Ring one ankle and work the skin back from ankle.
Tie a slip not in a cord or rope. Put slip knot around ankle.
Work hide from that ankle down.
Once you get it around the hips, pull straight down.
Work the front legs out of the hide and cut the head off.

[SilverZuk]

Here is the skinned ground hog when you are done.
You can stew it, or cut it into cubes and make deep fried groundhog nuggets.

[SilverZuk]

Sunday evening my wife and I went fishing.
My wife and I rode over on the next ridge on the ATV (dog tagging along beside us).
My neighbor and his 7 Y.O. son met us there.
We caught a bucket full of bluegill, took them home and I filleted them.
Last monday we had them for dinner, some of the finest table fair there is.

So that is a classic hillbilly weekend for me.

[Benzz0]

bluegill filets fawking RAWK!!! yummmmmay...

[SilverZuk]

This weekend I had to pick up my cousin's son and stop by the parts store.
Chris (guy with coonhounds) had been out running around so we didn't coon hunt.
We just rode the ATV down the ridge to JR's and hung out.
Michael played with the other kids (shot pool, goofed off).
The adults stood around drinking beer listening to music.
The women folk were dancing in the garage with an occasional husband/BF getting drug into the garage to dance.

Saturday a neighbor called and asked if I wanted a coon. He had caught it in a box trap by his chicken house. Michael and I picked it up and hauled it to a guy that trains coon dogs.
A friend the next county over called and wanted to know if I wanted a 7month old beagle. It was annoying his wife so he had to get rid of it.
While I was waiting, I put a water pump on the subaru.
Chip showed up and dropped off the beagle.
Mom and Dad came up that afternoon and took us out to eat (little diner at the end of the ridge).
That afternoon, we sat in David's barn looking for groundhogs.
After over an hour we walked across the road to Buck's farm.
As soon as we got through the gate, I spotted a groundhog in open pasture coming from the pond.
Michael shot about 60 yards off hand and went high (22 mag).
The ground hog ran about 15 feet, stood up on its back legs looking in the direction the bullet had hit. This time I told Michael "squeeze the trigger"
You could hear the bullet smack the groundhog.
It took off limping toward and old fallen down barn.
He shot again, but the bullet hit out in front of it.
It made it under the barn.
I worked in the garden saturday evening, went gigging that night.
Yesterday I never left the yard. Just worked in the garden and hung out.
Of course one thing I faield to mention that is a daily ritual.
We turn the beagles loose in the backyard every evening and let them run rabbits behind the house.

[PONY_DRIVER]

Never eaten groundhog, mainly because I've heard it tastes like, well groundhog.

I have a Bro in Kansas that likes to eat em, especially the young ones. Do you do anything special to them or just fix em like chicken/beef/venison?

[SilverZuk]

The maint thing is the groundhog itself.
In the fall, the meat is strong because they are packing on fat and eating lots of acorns. In the winter they are hibernating.
I don't shoot them in the spring because they are raising young and recovering from winter.

This time of year, they are in good health and been eating grass, clover, vegetables, and fruits. The meat is much more mild.
I won't eat an older one, they are tough and taste earthy.
The young ones are tender and mild. You can fix them about any way you fix chicken.
Most people stew them with tomatoes, carrots, potatos.
I like to cube them, cover them with seasoning, dip in pancake batter, and deep fry nuggets.

[p575]

i consider myself somewhat southern, but i have absolutely never heard of eating groundhog. deep fried groundhog nuggets...sounds great...

[fullygruntled]

Someday, them frogs'll git you back

[SilverZuk]

That is why I keep my cowboy pistol quick draw skills tuned up.
You never know when they are coming for you.

[fullygruntled]

wise man.

[HighToy]

Originally Posted by SilverZuk

I suck at frying stuff.
I never can get the batter to stick on anything I fry.
They were good anyway.
Imagine the most mild fish you have ever eaten, though the texture is between fish and chicken.

Your oil isn't hot enough. Too cool of oil and the oil will soak in and peel the batter off. You should have blazing hot oil for deep frying. Otherwise just put about 1/4" on the bootom of a skillet and turn up the heat. Once you see the oil start to look like it's trying to get away from the heat drop the food in.

[SilverZuk]

I fried bacon first.
Then dipped the frog legs in the batter, and into the pan.
The batter pretty much fell off as soon as they hit the pan.