The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) encourages Missourians to make a splash this summer by getting outdoors and frogging. Frogging season begins June 30 at sunset and runs through Oct. 31. Those with a fishing permit or small-game hunting permit may frog for bullfrogs and green frogs, though bullfrogs are more popular because of their large size.
The daily limit is eight frogs of both species combined and the possession limit is 16 frogs of both species combined. Only the daily limit may be possessed on waters and banks of waters where hunting.
MDC notes that daily limits end at midnight. Froggers who catch their daily limits before midnight and want to return for more frogging after midnight must remove the daily limit of previously caught frogs from the waters or banks before returning.
The public can go frogging with a fishing or small-game hunting permit, but children 15 and under and residents 65-years and older are not required to have a permit.
Those using a fishing permit may take frogs by hand, hand net, atlatl, gig, bow, trotline, throwline, limb line, bank line, jug line, snagging, snaring, grabbing, or pole and line.
With a small-game hunting permit, frogs may be harvested using a .22-caliber or smaller rimfire rifle or pistol, pellet gun, atlatl, bow, crossbow, or by hand or hand net. The use of artificial light is permitted when frogging.
The fun doesn’t have to end after catching frogs. Be sure to browse tasty recipes by visiting MDC online at https://short.mdc.mo.gov/Zxz.
For a first-person story about a first-time frog gigger, check out “Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick” in the June 2019 issue of the Missouri Conservationist at https://short.mdc.mo.gov/Zxj. Get some frogging tips from this MDC video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CTb5Ednrg0.
Buy Missouri hunting and fishing permits from numerous vendors around the state online at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/permits, or through MDC’s free mobile apps, MO Hunting and MO Fishing, available for download through Google Play or the App Store.