Louisiana, home to the "Frog Capital of the World" in Rayne, has a new law that allows those hunting the noisy amphibians at night to carry their guns in the dark bayous, marshes and swamps.
Hunters don't use guns to shoot the frogs, but state Sen. Eddie Lambert's Act 109 ended the prohibition on possessing firearms while seeking the creatures.
Lambert said the new law, effective Aug. 1, aligns with the Louisiana Constitution that affords the highest protection to bear arms.
The Republican state senator from Gonzales, an outdoorsman and frog hunter, said he was initially surprised by the amount of interest in his legislation.
"I really shouldn't have been surprised because people from all over the world are fascinated by our unique culture and creatures, from frogs to alligators to crawfish," Lambert said in an interview with USA Today Network.
Lambert operates his own cabins that showcase the "Sportsman's Paradise" in Pierre Part, located in the heart of Cajun country, where he said visitors can "experience crawfishing, crabbing, frogging, freshwater fishing and more."
"We have people from Australia and England and other countries coming in during the next few weeks," Lambert said. "It's really amazing."
Hunters with Louisiana fishing licenses can use their hands, nets, grabbers or gigs (spears) to harvest the frogs after they're found using spotlights to illuminate their glowing eyes.
Lambert said he prefers using his hands or a grabber, though he understands some people's hesitancy to hunt bare-handed in waters teeming with alligators and snakes.
"You have to be careful not to grab a snake," he said. "Those copperheads (venomous snakes) have glowing red eyes."
Louisiana is home to bullfrogs, known by their croaks, and smaller pig frogs, known by their grunts. There are no limits on harvests during the season, which runs from June 1-March 31.
More: Louisiana to expand alligator hunting season as reptiles overrun streets, neighborhoods
Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Frog gigging law changes in Louisiana, home to Frog Capital of the World
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