To early humans, hunting was a necessity. The quarry provided not only food from the meat but also clothing from the skins, as well as material for tools from the bones, horns and hooves. Archaeological evidence from the past and observation of simpler societies of the present show widespread preoccupation with, and ingenuity in,methods of hunting.These varied, and still vary, with the nature of the terrain, the animal hunted, the ingenuity and inventiveness of the hunters and the materials and technologies at their disposal.
Weapons ranged upward in intricacy and effectiveness. These included sticks and stones used to kill birds and small game to specially shaped clubs and throwing sticks such as the African knobkerry, the trombash of the Upper Nile and the Australian boomerang.They also included spears ranging from simple pointed sticks to those with a separate fore shaft, usually barbed, and armed with heads of sharpened stone, bone or metal.
Australia was the only country where bows and arrows were universal among early hunters and were revived by modern hunters in the 19th century. The blowpipe,or blowgun, with its poisoned darts, is one of the hunter’s deadliest weapons. Along with unique tools for the trade comes a different type of hunting enjoyed worldwide. Turtling, gigging and noodling are among some of the most loved hunting types.
Gigging is the hunting of frogs. Since not everyone out there has hunted bullfrogs with something other than their hands, the typical way to do this is using a frog gig, or frog spear. It is a five-to-eight foot pole with four or five spiked, sometimes barbed prongs or tines at the end.
While many folks will use a similar rig to spear fish, frog gigs are typically a bit wider to cover more space. The actual practice evolves into a spot and stalk-style hunt, as frogs are located, snuck up on and gigged with a quick jab to their body or head.
They are a worthy adversary, especially for beginner frog giggers, but the idea is to aim for right behind the head and drive the gig as much as six inches into the frog to increase the chances of a deadly strike.
Gigging can take place in small and large ponds, lakes, rivers, creeks and just about any wetland or swamp ecosystem that has some quiet backwater habitats where frogs love to hang out. The American bullfrog is the most targeted species, but there are a few others that make for a good quarry, as well. Harvests typically result in cooked frog legs, a favorite wild meat for some and a worthy reward for all the hard work gigging frogs requires.
Noodling is fishing for catfish using one's bare hands or feet and is practiced primarily in the southern United States. The noodler places their hand or foot inside a discovered catfish hole to catch the fish. Other names for the same activity are used in different regions, primarily in the South and Midwest, and include hogging,dogging, grappling, grabbling and tickling.
The term 'noodling', although today used primarily towards the capture of flathead catfish, can and has been applied to all hand fishing methods, regardless of the method or species of fish sought. The origin of the term is unknown. Noodling as a term has also been applied to various unconventional methods of fishing, such as any which do not use bait, rod and reel or speargun, but this usage is much less common.
The term has also been applied to the similar capture of snapping turtles, even though turtling is the hunting of turtles. Turtling has been a part of human culture since as far back as the middle of the first millennium BC, where sea turtles such as the hawbill sea turtle were eaten as delicacies in countries such as China.
While consumption and hunting of turtles is less common than it was in the past, this practice is still a part of communities throughout the globe, whether done legally or illegally. So, get you some game meat and try out this great Cajun dish.
Cajun Sauce Piquante
Ingredients 1/2 cup butter A heaping 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 2 cups chopped onion 1 cup chopped green pepper 1 cup chopped celery 5 garlic cloves One 6-ounce can of tomato paste 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, or more to taste 3 to 4 pounds turtle, alligator or frog meat, diced small 1 cup white wine One 28-ounce can tomato puree or crushed tomatoes 4 bay leaves Salt, black pepper and hot sauce to taste Chopped green onions or parsley for garnish Directions In a large, heavy pot like a Dutch oven, heat the butter over medium-high heat for a minute or two. Stir in the flour,then turn the heat down to medium. Cook this roux, stirring often, until it turns the color of peanut butter, about 10 to 15 minutes.
While the roux is cooking, Heat 6 cups of water in another pot to the boiling point. Hold it at a simmer for now.
When the roux is ready, add the onions, celery and green pepper and stir to combine. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook this, stirring often, until everything is soft, about 6 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle some salt over everything while you do this. Add the garlic, Cajun seasoning and tomato paste and stir to combine. Cook this, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes.
Mix in the turtle meat, then add the cup of white wine, the can of crushed tomatoes and the hot water, stirring as you add. Add the bay leaves and bring this to a gentle simmer. Add salt to taste. Let this simmer very gently until the meat is tender, at least 2 hours, maybe three.
When the sauce piquant is ready, add any more salt, black pepper, hot sauce and/ or Cajun seasoning you want, then serve it with white rice and lots of green onions or parsley. Make sure you have hot sauce at the table; I use Tabasco but use whatever variety you prefer.