Gigging Frogs

This summer during the week on July 4th I decided that I wanted to go to Montana and visit my friend Katie. Her parents own a cattle ranch on the Flathead Indian Reservation. I drove like a bat out of hell from Boundary creek (the guard station that I worked at) to Challis, ID. Where I turned in my paperwork for the week and then onto Ronan/Hotsprings, MT. As I approached the house I found it to be very dark out side. Which I thought was funny because it was the 4th of July and it was only 11pm. Well I got there had some tea and went to bed. The next morning much to my surprise....I was in the middle of nowhere. Not another house for miles. The closest town was 8 miles away. It was true I was lost last night thank god that I found the place. As I stood on the back porch admiring the farm equipment I wondered if and when I was going to gig.

After a few days of vacation we traveled to Glacier National Park. This beautifull array of mountains and fjords/valleys that span many miles across. The lakes were a beautiful blue and the rivers Ice cold. I found myself appreciating mother nature for what it is worth and not for what we have intended it to be. To understand that life for a river takes many years to form and that it is ever changing and evolving. I look down the path of the river and realize that my life is in the same ever changing lifestyle. And if I want it to be different it won't be, I just have to allow myself to take the necessary steps to be who I am. To let the river of life form my steps. Of course letting my self to splash once in a while and take those necessary adventures to adapt and change.

It was the last night before we left Montana. It was warm and the bullfrogs were croaking from about 3 miles away. There song was interesting and deep. Rhythmic and joyful, it was time to gig. To put on the long pants and tape the chaco's to your feet. for the loss in the muddy bog would be a loss. We grabbed out head lamps and spears and headed to the pond.

Discouraged I got out of the truck. I didn't know what to expect. The croaking scared me. I had the picture of a fang beast in my mind. I got on my head lamp and asked for advice. I slowly crept into the water. Spear in one hand and patience in the other. I looked for about thirty minutes and didn't see one. much to my surprise my headlamp wasn't strong enough. I would get close enough to get one but they would see me before I could see them. So I went back to the beach and traded lamps. I got back in the water. There it was, I saw a glimmer in its eyes. I stared it down and approached slowly. With about three feet to spare I threw my spear and BAM!!! I got it. A bullfrog I gigged a bull frog. My first wasn't the biggest for the night but it was the most memorable. We stayed on the water for about another hour or so. We got about 20 frogs. Figured that was enough and went home for a beer.

This experience is leading up to my soon to approach adventure in April when I get to brand cattle at the same ranch.