The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) encourages Missourians to discover nature this summer. One fun and exciting way is through frogging. Frogging season begins June 30 at sunset and ends Oct. 31. Missouri has two frog species that are legal game — bullfrog and green frog. Bullfrogs are larger and therefore more sought-after.

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.

Daily limits end at midnight so froggers who catch their daily limits before midnight and then want to return for more frogging after midnight must remove the daily limit of previously caught frogs from the waters or banks before returning for more.

Frogging can be done with either a fishing permit or a small-game hunting permit. Children under the age of 16 and Missouri residents 65 years of age or older are not required to have a permit.

Those with a fishing permit may take frogs by hand, hand net, atlatl, gig, bow, trotline, throw line, 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.

For more information about frog hunting, including how to get started and tasty recipes to try, visit MDC online at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/frog.

First time frogging?  Get some tips from this MDC video at youtube.com/watch?v=d_2mau_GlfE

Buy Missouri hunting and fishing permits from numerous vendors around the state, online at mdc.mo.gov/buypermits, or through MDC’s free mobile apps, MO Hunting and MO Fishing, available for download through Google Play for Android devices or the App Store for Apple devices.