1 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:09,240 Speaker 1: Welcome to This Country Life. I'm your host, Brent Reeves 2 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 1: from coon hunting to trot lining and just general country living. 3 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:16,040 Speaker 1: I want you to stay a while as I share 4 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:18,479 Speaker 1: my stories and the country skills that will help you 5 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 1: beat the system. This Country Life is proudly presented as 6 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:25,880 Speaker 1: part of Meat Eaters Podcast Network, bringing you the best 7 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:29,960 Speaker 1: outdoor podcast the airways have to offer. All right, friends, 8 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:33,080 Speaker 1: pull you up a chair or drop that tailgate. I 9 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:40,200 Speaker 1: think I got a thing or two the teacher frog gigging. 10 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:47,680 Speaker 1: If there's a more identifiable country summer nighttime grocery gathering 11 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:50,640 Speaker 1: endeavor than frog gigging, I don't know what it'd be. 12 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:56,480 Speaker 1: What other activity combines water, the darkness, a flashlight, sneaking 13 00:00:56,560 --> 00:00:59,200 Speaker 1: up on prey and going home with a toasack full 14 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 1: of goodies better than frog gigging? I dare say none. 15 00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:06,119 Speaker 1: There's different ways to do it, but the end goal 16 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:08,360 Speaker 1: is to get a mess big enough to get the 17 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:11,160 Speaker 1: grease to stinking. I'm going to tell you where to 18 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:13,280 Speaker 1: find them, how we catch them, how we clean them, 19 00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:16,200 Speaker 1: and how we cook them up. Better get you a 20 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 1: snack before you listen, cause you're going to be hunger 21 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:21,479 Speaker 1: when we get done. But first I'm going to tell 22 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:24,160 Speaker 1: you a story of how I came to poking holes 23 00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:35,160 Speaker 1: and frogs on the History Channel in twenty eleven, we 24 00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:37,640 Speaker 1: were sitting at the table eating supper when an unknown 25 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:41,520 Speaker 1: number from Los Angeles ring on my cellphone. I didn't answer. 26 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:44,240 Speaker 1: Had to be a wrong number. I didn't know anybody 27 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:47,880 Speaker 1: in Los Angeles. We finished eating and they called back. 28 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:51,080 Speaker 1: Now I have to admit I love wrong numbers and 29 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:54,640 Speaker 1: texts from wrong numbers. They're like a bird nest on 30 00:01:54,680 --> 00:01:58,000 Speaker 1: the ground. They're easy pickings, Like the time I got 31 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:01,240 Speaker 1: a random text from someone at a conference who was bored, 32 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:04,240 Speaker 1: and it went something like, this is this the right 33 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:08,120 Speaker 1: number for your new phone? Lisa? This is Janet. This 34 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 1: conference is so boring. I wish I had an excuse 35 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:13,040 Speaker 1: to get out of here. I'm sitting down front and 36 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:15,680 Speaker 1: I can't turn around to see where you are. Man, 37 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:18,000 Speaker 1: I remember this like it was yesterday. It still gives 38 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:23,760 Speaker 1: me chills. Here was my Here was my response, Yes, Janet, 39 00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:26,359 Speaker 1: thank goodness you texted. I had a burrito from the 40 00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:29,720 Speaker 1: complimentary breakfast bar and I'm dying. I'm stranded in the 41 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:33,000 Speaker 1: bathroom and no TP and my phone is almost dead, 42 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:36,200 Speaker 1: grab a roll and run to the lobby bathroom hurry. 43 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:40,760 Speaker 1: Thirty minutes later I got a text saying, Lisa, I've 44 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:43,400 Speaker 1: been to the lobby in every bathroom on six floors. 45 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:46,919 Speaker 1: Where are you. I'm not sure how that played out. 46 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:49,640 Speaker 1: I blocked her number after that last one, but I 47 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 1: hope she had a good sense of humor. So guess what. 48 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:58,280 Speaker 1: My phone rang again, but this time I answered and 49 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:01,760 Speaker 1: a lady asked to speak to Reeves. I said, this 50 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 1: is him. She told me her name and said, I'm 51 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:06,840 Speaker 1: a producer for the BBC. We have a new show 52 00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:11,440 Speaker 1: to be on History Channel called Harry Biker's. We saw 53 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:14,000 Speaker 1: your frog hunting video on YouTube and would like to 54 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 1: pay you to help us film a show like what 55 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:19,360 Speaker 1: you filmed. Now, I did have a video on YouTube 56 00:03:19,639 --> 00:03:22,000 Speaker 1: that I shot a year earlier just for fun, that 57 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:25,080 Speaker 1: I'd posted, but I made the mistake of putting Born 58 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:29,000 Speaker 1: on a bio by Credence Clearwater Revival with it and 59 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:31,760 Speaker 1: quickly got it snatched off the air by John Fogery's 60 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:36,200 Speaker 1: lawyer or somebody, and rightfully so. So I'm thinking to myself, 61 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:38,720 Speaker 1: this is a crocer bull and eventually this lady's going 62 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:40,960 Speaker 1: to ask me for my credit card number so she 63 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:43,640 Speaker 1: can help me get rich. So I said, I'm not 64 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:47,000 Speaker 1: interested in participating in your scam today, and I hung up. 65 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:50,640 Speaker 1: She called back, and it's a wonder I even answered. 66 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:53,200 Speaker 1: But when I did, she said, mister Reeves, please hear 67 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:56,920 Speaker 1: me out. We're a legitimate television production company and we 68 00:03:57,040 --> 00:03:59,520 Speaker 1: want to hire you to help us produce a segment 69 00:03:59,520 --> 00:04:02,120 Speaker 1: for the show. Oh, it's an American version of a 70 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:04,920 Speaker 1: successful show in England, and we're going to be in 71 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:08,840 Speaker 1: Arkansas film and several activities, and think you could help 72 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:12,640 Speaker 1: us represent your state in your way of life. I 73 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:14,960 Speaker 1: started to believe her, but I told her if they 74 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 1: were looking for someone to help them poke fun at 75 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:20,200 Speaker 1: people in our whale life, that she'd picked the wrong 76 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:22,240 Speaker 1: man to help her. I wouldn't be a part of 77 00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:26,000 Speaker 1: anything like that. She assured me that they loved what 78 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:28,640 Speaker 1: I'd filmed and they wanted the world to see what 79 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:31,680 Speaker 1: fun we were having and how we did it. She 80 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:33,560 Speaker 1: didn't ask me if I eat the frogs I caught, 81 00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:35,560 Speaker 1: and I remember saying yes, I'm If I didn't need them, 82 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:38,480 Speaker 1: I wouldn't be running around at night jobbing holes in them. 83 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:42,200 Speaker 1: She thought that was funny as for my address and 84 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:45,880 Speaker 1: said she was sending me five hundred dollars. Three days later, 85 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:47,960 Speaker 1: I got it in the mail and ran to the 86 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:52,560 Speaker 1: bank to make sure it was good. It was a 87 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:55,880 Speaker 1: few weeks later, and after lots of planning and coordinating, 88 00:04:56,279 --> 00:04:59,360 Speaker 1: the production crew and hosts showed up for two days 89 00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:02,880 Speaker 1: of filming. A month or so after that, Yours Truly 90 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:05,920 Speaker 1: was gigging Frogs on the History Channel with Paul Patrinella 91 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:09,960 Speaker 1: and Bill Allen. These Texas boys were compadres and traveled 92 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:13,760 Speaker 1: around the US gathering up victials and with the locals 93 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:16,240 Speaker 1: and cooking them the way the locals did. Then they 94 00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:19,360 Speaker 1: flipped the script and fixed the food according to their style. 95 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:22,839 Speaker 1: Paul was a short enough trained professional chef, and Bill 96 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:25,000 Speaker 1: he was like me. He just a cat that like 97 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:27,960 Speaker 1: to cook, except he was really good at it. They 98 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:30,600 Speaker 1: got out of the TV business after a while, and 99 00:05:30,680 --> 00:05:33,960 Speaker 1: Paul owns the Bait Barn Fisheries down in Brian, Texas, 100 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:36,800 Speaker 1: where you can order freshwater fish for your ponds and lakes. 101 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:40,839 Speaker 1: And Bill that Rascal's busier than a one armed paper hanger. 102 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:44,760 Speaker 1: He's in Brian too, and a genuine brain surgeon caliber 103 00:05:44,839 --> 00:05:49,640 Speaker 1: mechanic at Frank's motorcycle resurrections, and even manages his sons band, 104 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:54,240 Speaker 1: the Southern Degenerates. That sounds like the recurring theme of 105 00:05:54,279 --> 00:05:57,520 Speaker 1: My family Reunions. It was a lot of fun doing 106 00:05:57,560 --> 00:06:00,080 Speaker 1: that show, and I count them boys as friends. But 107 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:02,200 Speaker 1: they still ain't asked me to come fishing with them 108 00:06:02,360 --> 00:06:05,719 Speaker 1: in the Gulf. But anyway, if you're interested in watching 109 00:06:05,720 --> 00:06:08,280 Speaker 1: that episode, you can see it for free on the 110 00:06:08,320 --> 00:06:12,640 Speaker 1: Pluto TV app. Search for Harry Baker's USA at episode 111 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:16,839 Speaker 1: Numero Uno is finger Licking Frogs with no Beard Brent. 112 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:20,440 Speaker 1: My buddy Jeremy Humphreys helped me with that project. I 113 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:23,360 Speaker 1: don't think he's been fishing with them either, But if 114 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:26,120 Speaker 1: they're only inviting one of us to look, Jeremy get 115 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:34,280 Speaker 1: your own podcast. And that's just how that happened. Now, 116 00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:36,120 Speaker 1: I wonder how many folks who listen to this have 117 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:40,120 Speaker 1: ever been frog gigging. Even better, I wonder how many 118 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:42,840 Speaker 1: folks of eating them now. Just like a lot of 119 00:06:42,839 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 1: the people I grew up with, I love frog legs, 120 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:48,200 Speaker 1: batter and fried and scale it. My mama didn't eat 121 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:50,119 Speaker 1: a lot of them, but she'd cook us as many 122 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:53,760 Speaker 1: as we wanted on one condition. She didn't want to 123 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:56,279 Speaker 1: cook them if they hadn't been frogs. Do you know 124 00:06:56,320 --> 00:06:58,919 Speaker 1: that you can make a fresh skipp frog leg wiggle 125 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:02,200 Speaker 1: and twitch with just a pinch of salt put on them? 126 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:06,279 Speaker 1: Apparently rigor mortis doesn't set in as fast with frogs 127 00:07:06,279 --> 00:07:09,720 Speaker 1: as it does other creatures, and fresh frog legs still 128 00:07:09,760 --> 00:07:13,120 Speaker 1: have some cells that can respond to stimulus and salt 129 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:17,320 Speaker 1: hot grease. It can make them twitch. It would freak 130 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:19,600 Speaker 1: my mama out, and we could hear her every time 131 00:07:19,640 --> 00:07:23,680 Speaker 1: it happened, regardless of where we were inside or out. 132 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:27,360 Speaker 1: First things first, we got to catch them to cook them, 133 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 1: and there may be no cheaper source of entertainment. When 134 00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:34,000 Speaker 1: it comes to the equipment, you need to start gathering 135 00:07:34,040 --> 00:07:36,760 Speaker 1: them up because you really only need a light to 136 00:07:36,760 --> 00:07:39,440 Speaker 1: see in the dark with the blind the frog while 137 00:07:39,440 --> 00:07:41,880 Speaker 1: you slipping up on it. Now, when I was young, 138 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:44,240 Speaker 1: and I can't tell you how many of those old 139 00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:47,520 Speaker 1: six Volk batteries I went through that attached with two 140 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 1: wires to a little light that was rigged up on 141 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:53,400 Speaker 1: the headstrap. The metal bracket that held that light was 142 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:55,240 Speaker 1: flat as a flitter, and by the end of the 143 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:57,880 Speaker 1: night it made your forehead feel like Chuck Norris have 144 00:07:57,920 --> 00:08:00,880 Speaker 1: been using it for target practice. I started using my 145 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:03,360 Speaker 1: coon hunting light after that, and that was an old 146 00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:06,680 Speaker 1: carbide light i'd wired up on my cap. I got 147 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:09,520 Speaker 1: my first one when I was twelve from Johnson's Hardware 148 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:11,920 Speaker 1: store and I paid eight dollars for it. If you 149 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:14,760 Speaker 1: don't know what a carboyd light is, you'ta look that up. 150 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:17,400 Speaker 1: I was basically walking around in the woods with an 151 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:20,600 Speaker 1: open flame of settling torch burning on my head, not 152 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:25,040 Speaker 1: kidding you. Adjusted the brightness by how much gas was 153 00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:28,440 Speaker 1: fed to the flame through a valve that was connected 154 00:08:28,480 --> 00:08:32,120 Speaker 1: to a small reservoir of carbide that sat under a 155 00:08:32,160 --> 00:08:36,080 Speaker 1: small container of water that dripped onto the carbide, creating 156 00:08:36,600 --> 00:08:40,240 Speaker 1: settling gas. Now what parent wouldn't want their child walking 157 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:44,120 Speaker 1: around with a flamethrower strapped to their face. I'd love 158 00:08:44,160 --> 00:08:46,920 Speaker 1: to have that thing back, And if anyone out there 159 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:49,360 Speaker 1: has one that works and they'd part with it, hit 160 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:51,080 Speaker 1: me up on the old Gram and let me know. 161 00:08:52,559 --> 00:08:54,600 Speaker 1: And before we get to catching them, we got a 162 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:58,400 Speaker 1: no word to look and win. Well. The wind is 163 00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:01,400 Speaker 1: easy when the frogs come out, And ten times out 164 00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:04,760 Speaker 1: of ten the frogs come out at night. That's one 165 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:07,640 Speaker 1: of the ones we're after, do anyway, And the one 166 00:09:07,640 --> 00:09:11,719 Speaker 1: we're after is the American bullfrog frog nerds. Get your 167 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:14,680 Speaker 1: pencils ready and understand I'm not John Prine and talking 168 00:09:14,800 --> 00:09:19,160 Speaker 1: ugly and Hawaiian. I'm fixing to speak Latin. Leido badez 169 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:24,679 Speaker 1: cadis bajanas is the Latin name for our supper ben 170 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:27,360 Speaker 1: bat and haight I do on that we got to 171 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:31,840 Speaker 1: have water in just about any old water will do. Ponds, lakes, creeks, 172 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:36,199 Speaker 1: boughs and rivers, they'll all fill the bill. Slow moving 173 00:09:36,240 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 1: portions of the streams are best, and the ones with 174 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:42,760 Speaker 1: clean banks, well they're even better. That show we found 175 00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:45,120 Speaker 1: for the History Channel was done on a mental farm 176 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:47,680 Speaker 1: where they kept the pond bank's mode and we could 177 00:09:47,720 --> 00:09:50,920 Speaker 1: slip down the levees, usually spying the frogs a long 178 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:54,600 Speaker 1: time before we ever got to them. In the cottonel Us. 179 00:09:54,640 --> 00:09:58,079 Speaker 1: My research shows that every state except for the Peace 180 00:09:58,160 --> 00:10:01,839 Speaker 1: Garden state of North Dakota has a chorus of bullfrogs. 181 00:10:02,160 --> 00:10:04,360 Speaker 1: Do you know that's what you call a group of bullfrogs? 182 00:10:04,880 --> 00:10:11,520 Speaker 1: Of course it's a fitting a denter fire. If I 183 00:10:11,520 --> 00:10:15,599 Speaker 1: do save myself, I like to hunt them on boughs, sleughs, 184 00:10:15,679 --> 00:10:18,920 Speaker 1: and canals. You can get a small on a boat 185 00:10:19,040 --> 00:10:21,640 Speaker 1: or a pi row or a kayak, anything that will 186 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:24,760 Speaker 1: cruise along in shallow water and use a push pole, 187 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:28,560 Speaker 1: a paddle or a trolling motor to quietly ease down 188 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:31,160 Speaker 1: the edges. That's where you're gonna find a old bully. 189 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:33,680 Speaker 1: It'll be sitting right near the edge of the bank, 190 00:10:33,760 --> 00:10:36,280 Speaker 1: on the ground or in the water. Their eyes will 191 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:39,360 Speaker 1: shine easy enough, but one thing I always look for 192 00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:42,920 Speaker 1: is that whitish colored patch of their throat, and most 193 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:45,319 Speaker 1: times it's just as easy to see as their eyes. 194 00:10:46,120 --> 00:10:48,400 Speaker 1: If the woods are flooded, you can find them sitting 195 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:53,040 Speaker 1: on logs, big lily pads, floating around moss, just about anywhere. 196 00:10:53,480 --> 00:10:56,280 Speaker 1: The key to the whole operation is having a steady 197 00:10:56,400 --> 00:10:59,120 Speaker 1: beam of light directed in that rascal's eyes to keep 198 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:01,480 Speaker 1: them still along on them for you to get close 199 00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:04,320 Speaker 1: enough to add him to your limit. Gig Man, stay 200 00:11:04,360 --> 00:11:07,080 Speaker 1: focused on that frog and be ready in case he 201 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:10,120 Speaker 1: starts to get away, but not so focused that you're 202 00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:21,080 Speaker 1: not aware of your surroundings. A good friend of mine 203 00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:23,560 Speaker 1: tells the tale of when he was a game warden 204 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:27,080 Speaker 1: and received a complaint of someone gigging frogs out of season. 205 00:11:28,240 --> 00:11:31,120 Speaker 1: The frog season usually opens around the middle of April here, 206 00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:34,960 Speaker 1: but this spring had been unusually warm and frogs were 207 00:11:35,120 --> 00:11:38,520 Speaker 1: everywhere on this farm, and these boys were helping themselves 208 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:40,800 Speaker 1: a few weeks too early, and on top of that, 209 00:11:41,520 --> 00:11:45,200 Speaker 1: they were supposedly seldom without a license. There was a 210 00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:48,680 Speaker 1: big cypress boo that wound through that property, and he 211 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:52,079 Speaker 1: said it was covered up with frogs. So after getting 212 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:54,920 Speaker 1: the complaint, he went down and snuck into a good 213 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:57,920 Speaker 1: hiding spot to sit and watch for him. He did 214 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:01,320 Speaker 1: it two nights in a row parking, hiding his truck, 215 00:12:02,040 --> 00:12:05,320 Speaker 1: walking a long way to his hiding spot, sitting in 216 00:12:05,360 --> 00:12:07,840 Speaker 1: the dark and watching him, waiting and listening for them, 217 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:11,160 Speaker 1: and never saw a thing. He went back on the 218 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:13,360 Speaker 1: third night and was just about to leave when he 219 00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:16,839 Speaker 1: saw a flash of light and heard him coming his way. 220 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:19,520 Speaker 1: In a few minutes, he saw three folks in a 221 00:12:19,559 --> 00:12:23,560 Speaker 1: little aluminum boat going back and forth from bank to bank. 222 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:26,400 Speaker 1: The man in the back was running the little troll 223 00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:29,200 Speaker 1: to motor, the man in the middle was holding the spotlight, 224 00:12:29,720 --> 00:12:32,960 Speaker 1: and the guy up front was gigging the frogs. My 225 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:35,600 Speaker 1: friend slipped down from his hiding spot and stood behind 226 00:12:35,600 --> 00:12:37,839 Speaker 1: a big cypress tree waiting for the men to get 227 00:12:37,880 --> 00:12:40,640 Speaker 1: close enough to catch The bable was wide enough that 228 00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:43,480 Speaker 1: if he announced himself too soon, they could be on 229 00:12:43,520 --> 00:12:46,280 Speaker 1: the other bank, ditch the boat and get away, so 230 00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:48,520 Speaker 1: he had to let him get close enough that he 231 00:12:48,559 --> 00:12:52,000 Speaker 1: could at least identify them if they ran. He watched 232 00:12:52,040 --> 00:12:54,600 Speaker 1: him for ten or fifteen minutes as they got closer 233 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:59,200 Speaker 1: and closer, going back and forth across that canal, gigging frogs. 234 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:01,920 Speaker 1: When he thought they were getting close enough, he saw 235 00:13:01,960 --> 00:13:04,840 Speaker 1: that beam of lights surround the tree he was hiding behind. 236 00:13:05,559 --> 00:13:07,679 Speaker 1: He said he knew right then that they'd seen him, 237 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:10,400 Speaker 1: and he went to step out from behind the tree 238 00:13:10,559 --> 00:13:12,679 Speaker 1: and try to get a look at their faces. As 239 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:15,240 Speaker 1: he started moving around that tree, he saw a huge 240 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:18,199 Speaker 1: bullfrog sitting in front of that tree he was hiding behind. 241 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:21,720 Speaker 1: He said, it was like he was hunting over a decoy. 242 00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:25,600 Speaker 1: They had no clue he was there watching them, peeking 243 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:28,720 Speaker 1: around that tree. He could see them all focused on 244 00:13:28,760 --> 00:13:32,000 Speaker 1: that frog as the light got closer and closer, and 245 00:13:32,040 --> 00:13:34,080 Speaker 1: he heard them talking back and forth about how big 246 00:13:34,120 --> 00:13:38,559 Speaker 1: it was. He could also see that the only visible 247 00:13:38,559 --> 00:13:41,360 Speaker 1: weapon they had in the open was the frog gig. 248 00:13:42,559 --> 00:13:45,120 Speaker 1: When they got right near the bank, and that gig 249 00:13:45,160 --> 00:13:47,880 Speaker 1: was only seconds away from sabbing that frog. He stuck 250 00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:50,160 Speaker 1: his arm around the tree and grabbed the frog gig, 251 00:13:50,600 --> 00:13:53,560 Speaker 1: snatched it out of the man's hand and simultaneously saying 252 00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:58,400 Speaker 1: game warders. He said it was the blood curdling squeal 253 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:00,440 Speaker 1: of the man in the front that caused man in 254 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:03,480 Speaker 1: the middle to drop the spylight and start screaming too. 255 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:07,120 Speaker 1: They both started running out the back of the boat 256 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:08,800 Speaker 1: and over top of the man in the back, who 257 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:11,640 Speaker 1: started screaming, what is it? What is it? What is it? 258 00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:15,559 Speaker 1: He turned on his flashlight and hollered game warding again. 259 00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:19,360 Speaker 1: They stopped running through the waist deep water and mud 260 00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:21,560 Speaker 1: and crawled out on the bank where he was standing. 261 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:24,480 Speaker 1: He said they was actually seemed to relieve that they 262 00:14:24,480 --> 00:14:29,360 Speaker 1: were only getting tickets and that a boogerman hadn't got them. 263 00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:33,760 Speaker 1: Oh lord, there's three legal ways to catch frogs in Arkansas, 264 00:14:34,040 --> 00:14:36,720 Speaker 1: and that's what I'm talking about. So y'all be sure 265 00:14:36,760 --> 00:14:40,920 Speaker 1: and check with your state laws and do what's right here. 266 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:43,080 Speaker 1: If you're sixteen or older, you're going to have to 267 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:46,680 Speaker 1: have a fishing license. In Texas you'll need a hunting license, 268 00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:49,320 Speaker 1: so wherever you are, make sure you get what you need. 269 00:14:50,320 --> 00:14:53,200 Speaker 1: In Arkansas, you can catch them with your hands, use 270 00:14:53,240 --> 00:14:56,200 Speaker 1: a gig or a spring loaded grabber attached to a pole, 271 00:14:57,120 --> 00:15:00,040 Speaker 1: or a bow and arrow, and the last way, be 272 00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:03,920 Speaker 1: it or not, is to fish for them. Now. Using 273 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:06,640 Speaker 1: your hands is my least favorite for two reasons, and 274 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:09,640 Speaker 1: those reasons are number one, I don't like poking my 275 00:15:09,720 --> 00:15:13,080 Speaker 1: hands in dark places where cotton mouse live. And number two, 276 00:15:13,520 --> 00:15:15,720 Speaker 1: I don't like poking my hands in dark places where 277 00:15:15,720 --> 00:15:18,960 Speaker 1: cotton mouse live. I got snake bit once, and I'll 278 00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:22,600 Speaker 1: tell you all that story another day. Another thing about 279 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:25,680 Speaker 1: using your hands, you have to walk right up on 280 00:15:25,760 --> 00:15:28,080 Speaker 1: them or run the boat right up on them, and 281 00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:31,560 Speaker 1: sometimes you'll make a racket or hit a stob and 282 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:34,000 Speaker 1: spook the frog, causing them to jump and get away, 283 00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:37,600 Speaker 1: even though you got him blinded with a light. I've 284 00:15:37,640 --> 00:15:40,160 Speaker 1: never used a bowl in ara, but that sounds like fun, 285 00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:43,520 Speaker 1: especially if I used archery equipment. I don't think I'd 286 00:15:43,560 --> 00:15:46,760 Speaker 1: to be slinging frog airs out of my compound. Probably 287 00:15:46,800 --> 00:15:49,400 Speaker 1: be a better idea to get you a traditional bowl 288 00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:52,840 Speaker 1: or recurve and do some instinctive shooting with a fishing era. 289 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:55,760 Speaker 1: They're attached to your bowl with a real or by 290 00:15:55,800 --> 00:15:57,920 Speaker 1: a spool, and you can shoot them and then reel 291 00:15:57,920 --> 00:16:00,160 Speaker 1: them in. I can't think of a better way to 292 00:16:00,200 --> 00:16:03,320 Speaker 1: stay and practice for archery. It's sure beach standing in 293 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:06,360 Speaker 1: the backyard shooting a styrofoam target that wouldn't taste good 294 00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:09,720 Speaker 1: even if a Harry Biker cooked it. Fishing for frogs 295 00:16:09,840 --> 00:16:13,080 Speaker 1: is an easy way to let everybody have a cracking 296 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:15,960 Speaker 1: catch and supper. If you knew the frogging and you 297 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:19,760 Speaker 1: haven't developed those long forgotten caveman skills the chunking spears, 298 00:16:20,200 --> 00:16:23,480 Speaker 1: let the frog catch himself. Just get you a long 299 00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:26,920 Speaker 1: cane pole or a jig pole, attach a few feet 300 00:16:26,960 --> 00:16:29,480 Speaker 1: of fishing line and tie cropper jig on it and 301 00:16:29,640 --> 00:16:32,720 Speaker 1: dangle it in front of that frog. Frogs are predators 302 00:16:32,760 --> 00:16:35,920 Speaker 1: and they'll eat just about anything. Once he bites it, 303 00:16:36,400 --> 00:16:38,200 Speaker 1: just pull him to you and drop him in the sack, 304 00:16:38,280 --> 00:16:40,480 Speaker 1: and then it's on to the next one. If I 305 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:43,440 Speaker 1: got to making some notes and getting organized to talk 306 00:16:43,480 --> 00:16:46,080 Speaker 1: to you all about frog fishing, I found a whole 307 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:48,680 Speaker 1: bunch of videos of folks catching frogs this way on 308 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:53,160 Speaker 1: the interwebs forget walleye fishing, seth and Chester. The bullfrog 309 00:16:53,240 --> 00:16:57,680 Speaker 1: tournament trail is where it's at, plus no waiting frogs. 310 00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:02,000 Speaker 1: I've used the grabber before. It's a tension loaded apparatus 311 00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:05,840 Speaker 1: that folks gig fish with too. The proty using a 312 00:17:05,920 --> 00:17:08,960 Speaker 1: grabber is when you gig the frog, you're really just 313 00:17:09,080 --> 00:17:13,000 Speaker 1: catching him. The trigger hits that frog when you spear him, 314 00:17:13,040 --> 00:17:16,040 Speaker 1: and tension loaded springs collapse and the jaws of the 315 00:17:16,080 --> 00:17:19,119 Speaker 1: graver they come together and trap the frog instead of 316 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:21,560 Speaker 1: poking new holes in him that he wasn't designed to 317 00:17:21,600 --> 00:17:24,080 Speaker 1: live with. Then you just drop him in the ice 318 00:17:24,160 --> 00:17:26,679 Speaker 1: chest or in your tosac and move on to the 319 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:29,560 Speaker 1: next one. All your frogs stay fresh and you can 320 00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:31,720 Speaker 1: wait and clean them in the morning without any problem. 321 00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:35,639 Speaker 1: The cons he using a grabber, and my experience is 322 00:17:35,680 --> 00:17:37,919 Speaker 1: that joker will go off if you bump something in 323 00:17:37,960 --> 00:17:40,960 Speaker 1: the boat or hitt on limb at the worst possible time, 324 00:17:41,119 --> 00:17:45,200 Speaker 1: usually spooking your supper away. And fresh frogs are always 325 00:17:45,200 --> 00:17:47,680 Speaker 1: trying to get back from whence they came, and you'll 326 00:17:47,720 --> 00:17:49,960 Speaker 1: spend some of your time re catching the frogs that 327 00:17:50,040 --> 00:17:52,600 Speaker 1: hop out of the bag or the ice chest. I 328 00:17:52,720 --> 00:17:55,440 Speaker 1: like to catch my frogs once, and when I'm using 329 00:17:55,440 --> 00:17:57,840 Speaker 1: a gig. It ain't like I'm running a sword through 330 00:17:57,880 --> 00:18:00,119 Speaker 1: them and throwing them in the dungeon to slow to 331 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:04,480 Speaker 1: meet their fate. That would be cruel and unnecessary. It's 332 00:18:04,560 --> 00:18:07,119 Speaker 1: just a frog, someone would say, Well, it may be, 333 00:18:07,560 --> 00:18:11,560 Speaker 1: but they're a creature we've been given dominion over to utilize, enjoy, 334 00:18:11,800 --> 00:18:15,640 Speaker 1: and respect, even if it is just a frog. When 335 00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:17,359 Speaker 1: I pull him off the gig, I give him a 336 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:19,560 Speaker 1: good watch four on the knogging and by taking hold 337 00:18:19,600 --> 00:18:21,760 Speaker 1: of his legs and using the part of his head 338 00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:24,080 Speaker 1: where his hat would go for a hammer on the 339 00:18:24,119 --> 00:18:27,960 Speaker 1: side of the boat, wham and drop him in the bucket. 340 00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:30,320 Speaker 1: Now you got to mess the dead frogs, And if 341 00:18:30,359 --> 00:18:32,600 Speaker 1: you ain't planning on cleaning them when you get done, 342 00:18:32,960 --> 00:18:34,920 Speaker 1: you better have some ice ready to keep them good 343 00:18:34,920 --> 00:18:37,080 Speaker 1: and cold till you get ready to ject the breeches 344 00:18:37,119 --> 00:18:40,520 Speaker 1: off of them the next morning. That's easy too, and 345 00:18:40,560 --> 00:18:42,919 Speaker 1: I'm fixed to tell you how to do it. You 346 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:46,240 Speaker 1: gonna need a dead bullfrog, any kind of kitchen shears, 347 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:49,159 Speaker 1: a pair of plyers, and a pocket knife. You know 348 00:18:49,200 --> 00:18:52,160 Speaker 1: what kind of pocket knife. Grab your shears and cut 349 00:18:52,160 --> 00:18:55,560 Speaker 1: his feet off at the ankles. Then with your pocket knife, 350 00:18:55,760 --> 00:18:58,720 Speaker 1: cut a line across his back about even with the 351 00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:02,280 Speaker 1: armpits of his front leg. Take your plyers and grab 352 00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:05,240 Speaker 1: a hold of the skin as you just cut, and 353 00:19:05,320 --> 00:19:07,960 Speaker 1: take your other hand and grab him just above that cut, 354 00:19:08,119 --> 00:19:11,920 Speaker 1: using his front legs for leverage. Pull down with you plyers, 355 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:16,760 Speaker 1: and just that easy off comes his breeches. Then I'll 356 00:19:16,800 --> 00:19:19,000 Speaker 1: take the shears and cut across where his back meets 357 00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:22,400 Speaker 1: his legs. You should have two legs ready for fry. 358 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:26,080 Speaker 1: Some folks will separator or leave them together. What are 359 00:19:26,160 --> 00:19:34,600 Speaker 1: you preferred on mat? All right, somebody get the peet 360 00:19:34,680 --> 00:19:37,440 Speaker 1: up old to three hundred and twenty five degrees. We're 361 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:41,480 Speaker 1: about to get busy cooking up our veentles. Buttermilk, egg 362 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:44,720 Speaker 1: flyour salt and pepper. That's about his basic and he 363 00:19:44,760 --> 00:19:46,919 Speaker 1: gets and that's all you need to cook up a 364 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:49,960 Speaker 1: mess that's really good food. I like to add a 365 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:53,719 Speaker 1: little crawfish bowl and lemon pepper to my fly. I 366 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:57,080 Speaker 1: talked about that batter mixture on the Catching Catfish with 367 00:19:57,160 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 1: Trotlines episode. If you ain't heard that one, you need 368 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:02,479 Speaker 1: to get your ears over there on that one and 369 00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:06,679 Speaker 1: get to listening. Sometimes I'll go with two parts fired 370 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:10,320 Speaker 1: to one part cornmeal if I'm feeling fancy, and I'll 371 00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:13,560 Speaker 1: use the same spices or a combination. There ain't no rules. 372 00:20:14,040 --> 00:20:16,800 Speaker 1: Just fix them the way you like them. But when 373 00:20:16,800 --> 00:20:19,720 Speaker 1: you fix them, holler at me when they're ready. A 374 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:22,000 Speaker 1: basic way to make them is mix that egg up 375 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:24,560 Speaker 1: in a bowl of buttermilk, dip the legs in there, 376 00:20:24,600 --> 00:20:26,639 Speaker 1: and then roll them in the flour that you've added 377 00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:30,320 Speaker 1: spices to and drop them into grease. You can double 378 00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:33,600 Speaker 1: up the dipping process legs and buttermilk, then in fly 379 00:20:34,240 --> 00:20:37,360 Speaker 1: back to buttermilk again, back in the fire to give 380 00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:42,080 Speaker 1: them that extra crust. Man, it's good if you deep 381 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:43,960 Speaker 1: fry them. Well, you know how much oil you need 382 00:20:44,119 --> 00:20:46,359 Speaker 1: If you do it in a skillet, about a quarter 383 00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:49,359 Speaker 1: to a half inch is plenty. The best part of 384 00:20:49,400 --> 00:20:52,920 Speaker 1: this activity is it's one of many ways to introduce 385 00:20:53,080 --> 00:20:57,160 Speaker 1: children to the outdoors and the concept of being self reliant. 386 00:20:58,280 --> 00:21:01,040 Speaker 1: With your help, you can teach them that darkness can 387 00:21:01,080 --> 00:21:06,199 Speaker 1: be inviting and wonderful, filled with adventure and fun. I 388 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:08,440 Speaker 1: hope y'all be inspired to get out with the little 389 00:21:08,480 --> 00:21:12,200 Speaker 1: folks and have fun. Schools out and when I was young, 390 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:15,879 Speaker 1: and school being out meant that school was in with 391 00:21:16,040 --> 00:21:19,720 Speaker 1: my dad. There's a whole other world going on out 392 00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:22,320 Speaker 1: there at night, and it's responsibility of those of us 393 00:21:22,359 --> 00:21:25,399 Speaker 1: who are familiar with it to show those that ain't 394 00:21:25,760 --> 00:21:29,439 Speaker 1: how good it is. We value and look out for 395 00:21:29,480 --> 00:21:33,119 Speaker 1: the things we love, even if it is just a fraud. 396 00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:38,240 Speaker 1: This is Brent Reeves signing off. Y'all be careful.