What this is all about...

I was born on February 6, 1970. That means on February 6, 2010 I turned 40! I borrowed a great idea from a friend of mine who had recently turned 50. She committed to learning 50 new things and/or having 50 new experiences in her 50th year. I thought that was such a cool idea that I have plagiarized her idea. I'm hoping to have 40 new experiences in the next year. That means I need your help! If you have some skill/talent/hobby that you could share with me, please do!!! I can't do this alone. This blog will keep you all posted on my 40 "adventures." I hope you enjoy it.

Monday, May 31, 2010

#13 - Frog Gigging

What says Memorial Day better than huntin' fer frog legs?! 


Today I had the unexpected opportunity to add another new adventure to my list - frog gigging.  To gig for frogs means to hunt them with a multi-pronged spear.  You basically try to find them among all the scum in a pond and then just brutally spear them. It is actually quite hard. 

This adventure took place at Chico Basin Ranch, the same place where we branded the cattle.  We were attending a farewell party for our Marine neighbors who are (very sadly) moving this week.  There's a pond near the ranch house where some pretty massive bullfrogs live.  The boys decided to go gigging, so how could I pass up this opportunity?  The best gigging is done at night, but we wouldn't have the chance to try it at that time.

I have seen bumper stickers reading "Vegetarian is the Native American Indian word for 'really bad hunter.'"  I'm afraid that if I were an Indian, I'd be a vegetarian!  While both my boys caught frogs, I struck out.  I blame part of it on my shoes. I was wearing slip on sandals. It is fairly hard to climb out on fallen trees and along marshy, muddy shores when you are constantly in danger of losing your shoes.  So, had I been properly dressed, I'm sure I would have been more successful.

So, what does one do with a gigged frog?  You had hand it over to the 8 year old ranch boy to butcher and skin so you can eat frog legs.  As with our branding episode, I was struck by the difference between ranch kids and city kids. This kid was not the least bit phased by butchering a frog (I'll spare you the details), and he required no parental involvement at all - except for mom grilling the legs.  Eating frog legs was not a new experience for me. I had tried them in New Orleans in the summer of 1990. However, fresh frog legs are definitely better than the tough, rubbery legs I ate in New Orleans. 

I think that between my crepe experience and my frog leg experience, I'm far more likely to prepare and eat crepes again, but I'm glad I had the chance to give frog gigging a try. Besides, it's just fun to say - "I frog gigged today!"
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2 comments:

  1. AnonymousApril 14, 2014 at 6:35 AM

    Love to be that vegetarian who knocked your violent, rapist wanna be a hole sons teeth out! He is a pos and should have been flushed at birth! You raised a little coward who thinks torturing animals us ok! Cowards like him die horrible diseased deaths. You are a turd excuse for a mother!

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  2. AnonymousFebruary 22, 2015 at 6:53 AM

    Frog gigging isn't "torture," you moron. The frogs are usually killed instantly, and if for some reason they aren't, then you quickly kill them so they don't suffer. Any jerk that says a child should have been "flushed at birth" is the real "p.o.s."

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