Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-09-30
SPORT OF HUNTING FROGS
Meta, spears, Hook and Rife Used in
the Chase In Pennsyl-
VRnia.

Frog hunting and frog eating is ceI-
tainly extensive enough to have caused
CONSERVATION among many frog hunters
and JOY among frog eaters generally when
two years ago the Pennsylvania legisla-
ture passed an act protecting the amphi-
bian. 1t is true that when the bill was
introduced the members of the legislature
treated IT as a huge joke and laughed
heartily during its passage through the
two chambers, but they voted for IT
solidly. and the governor signed it.
So the frogs croak in comparative safety
during the balmy days of April during
their love making and during their hrst
family raising. Not that they are de-
voted and tender guardians OF their pro-
geny, the greatest solicitude of each
seems 10 be lest his neighbor eat more
OF his own poIliwogs than he does him
self, but IL sounds better to attribute to
him virtues which he doesn't possess than
to picture him as he really Is, cannibal
of unblushing and winking effrontery,
On July 1 boys and men begin the quest
Of frogs with nearly the same enthusiasm
that the angler does for trout on the
opening day Of the season Only in some
respects the enthusiasm OF the frog hunter
is usually unlike that of the trout fisher.
ments, the craving of both sport and
coin. The frog hunter in Pennsylvania
has an advantage over the trout fisher.
He can, at the close of his outing. sell
the results of his sport, while under the
law the trout fisher must either eat mis-
catch or give II away 70 his friends,
neither of which is entirely satisfactory
when he is hard up or tempted by the
silver of a man with a mouth for trout
but with no ability TO catch them.
There are no legally prohibited devices
for the capture of frogs. Anything is
etiquette which will accomplish its OBJ
ject. Bare hands. a stone, a club, hook
and line, a gun, a gig OF spear or trap
all these or anything else short OF dyna-
mite is permissible and any or all of them
are likely to he used as occasion arises.
The favorite device OF the caterer for
the market is a spear made like FISH gig,
only smaller, and the best time is night.
Daylight quests may yield good results,
but usually not as good as at night. Be
sides, there Is then more attractiveness
about the sport. The stiffness of the
darkness, the heaviness OF the night
shadows, the gloom OF the waters, the
flare of the gig lights appeal to the aver
age healthy man or boy who goes hunting
for frogs much more strongly than the
sunlight the hum of human and animal
life or vistas of scenery.
When frogs are plentiful and the hunter
skilled the latter may by the use OF gig
or spear be able from the falling OF dark
ness to midnight to capture enough
''buJlies" to bring him in daddy" dollar,
perhaps another TO keep IL company,
A throw or cast net and scoop net
with a long handle are also pet methods
with many ana both are very effective at
times. Only the man who uses the nrst
named in Pennsylvania must OF necessity
be wary OF when OF how he uses IL OF
who Is around at the time. There IL no
law against catching bullfrogs with a
cast or throw net; but the fishery autho-
rites have strong and unyielding anti
pathy 10 the device and should warden
happen along the user might and probably
would be driven to his vita end and sx-