What’s For Dinner?
Phil Taunton
Friday, July 13, 2007
A strange thing happened to me while I was down at the lake fishing for channel cats.
One of my favorite methods is to use a 3- to 4-inch sunfish as bait while fishing from the dock and allow the bait to swim just under the surface of the water.
Through the years, I’ve caught big walleye, largemouth bass and several yellow or flathead catfish, with one weighing close to 35 pounds. What a thrill!
Early one morning a week or so ago, before all the rains came, I went up to the cabin from the dock for some coffee and witnessed a giant blue heron land on the dock. Soon, the bird began eyeing the baitfish.
In the blink of an eye, it struck and hooked itself in the foot. I have heard of other fishermen catching owls while casting lures at night, and I once saw a fisherman at Reading Lake catch and release a duck.
But this sort of thing was a first for me. What to do? I respect a bird that stands up to 54 inches tall and has a 5-inch beak! And I have heard reports of waterfowl hunters having their hunting dogs fatally stabbed by sandhill cranes during the commission of a retrieve. Much to my chagrin, and wearing leather gloves and safety goggles, I approached the bird with hopes of setting it free. It attempted to fly away several times and I reeled the bird in to within 3 feet when the hook pulled out and, to my relief, the bird waded to shore and flew away.
A primal instinct did occur to me before I thought about letting it go. I must admit, I did wonder about cooking such a critter.
Would it eat? Some people consider sandhill cranes excellent table fare, so why not herons? Well mainly, herons are protected by law and cannot be harvested or harassed in any way.
I relayed this experience to Wifeus, and she asked me just what I consider to be Man’s primal instincts. I told her the male’s primal instincts were to eat, drink and procreate. “Oh,” she said, “I thought it was to eat, drink and to procrastinate.”
She also informed me that women were here to eat, drink, shop and golf!
Where’s the love? I guess some things are better left in the woods and on the waters!
Bullfrogs ... the rest
of the story
Bullfrog season opened July 1.
The bullfrog is a ferocious predator in its own right. Being up to 8 inches long, with another 9 inches of stretched-out leg behind him, they can catch and eat anything from a beetle to a sparrow.
Where plentiful, other frogs can make up the majority of the bullfrog’s diet. Insects, fish, small snakes, moles, birds and even bats are considered prey.
Frog legs, regarded as a delicacy in many restaurants, have a taste and texture similar to shrimp. A popular way to cook frog legs is to dip them in egg and then into a mixture of flour, cornmeal, seasoning salt and pepper. Fry them to a golden brown in about a 1/2 inch of peanut oil. The legs also can be broiled or baked. Contrary to popular belief, not all legs will try and jump out of the skillet!
Bullfrogs abound in lakes, ponds, marshes and streams throughout Kansas. They can be legally harvested from July 1 through Oct. 31.
The bullfrog’s loud bellowing call can be heard for over half a mile and is a clue to their location. A valid fishing license is required to take bullfrogs (unless exempt by law). The daily creel limit is eight frogs, and the possession limit is 24. As with all hunting and fishing adventures, permission is required to enter private land.
When night fishing is non-productive and the set lines are running slack, let frogging pick up the action. Be sure to take the kids along and always be prepared for the unexpected, especially those things that go “baa-rumph” and hiss in the middle of the night!
Attention hunters!
The National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) drew two of seven permits presented to qualifying nonprofit organizations for use in their fundraising. The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) offered these permits and drew the winners from a pool of applicants consisting of local chapters of conservation organizations who applied for the permits.
NWTF received an Any Elk and an Any Deer (whitetail or mule deer) permit.
NWTF tentatively plans to auction the permits on Bay beginning July 26th.
Proceeds from the sale of these permits go towards partnership projects between the National Wild Turkey Federation and KDWP.
Both permits are good statewide during any open season for each species during the fall 2007 hunting seasons. Specific projects have not been selected but habitat restoration on public hunting areas likely will be the focus of the auction proceeds.