You are here: Real Ghost Stories :: Misc :: Too Much Time Frog-gigging

Real Ghost Stories

Too Much Time Frog-gigging

 

I grew up next to a military base. My father, being a retired military veteran, enjoyed all the benefits of being able to travel on and off post anytime he wished. My father was also an avid outdoorsman, and he would spend all of his free time hunting and fishing on the military reservation.

Our house was the first house built in our neighborhood. When it was completed, it was the only house visible for miles in every direction. It was so isolated that my father could sit out on the back porch and call quail up to our house using his abilities as a bird mimicker.

After moving away from this house for a short period of time and returning a few years later, a small neighborhood had emerged around us and the city boundary had moved to include our property. Our house switched to city water and sewage, and the roads in our area became paved. We were still very close (approximately 200-300 yards) to the southern boundary of the military reservation, and during this time, this area of the military reservation permitted free access to anyone wishing to enter through and use the post as a shortcut to get to Interstate 44.

My father and I would often walk into the military reservation at night and go frog hunting around the many ponds scattered around the area. My father would call these ponds "tanks" and would spend his days fishing in them out of a small boat that he would carry in his truck. However, this story is about hunting bullfrogs.

These frogs would grow to an enormous size, and after gathering a sack full of them, we would walk back to the house and give them to my mother who would cut off their legs and fry them for dinner.

The frog-gigging protocol was simple. I would carry the lantern and a large burlap sack and my father would carry a flashlight and a five-foot long stick topped with a small trident of sharp barbs. My father and I would wait for it to get dark and then we would proceed to walk to the nearest pond. The nearest pond was only a twenty-minute walk away (about a mile) and we could hear the croaking of the frogs long before we arrived at the scene.

My father would walk in front, carefully scanning the ground for poisonous snakes, and I would follow behind. After reaching the pond, my father would slowly walk its perimeter with the flashlight pointed on the ground in front. My job was to hold the lantern high and keep an eye out for the glowing pinpricks of light reflecting off of small eyes that would warn us of an approaching water moccasin and to keep an eye out for rattlesnakes.

My father would focus his light on the shore until he caught the eyes of a bullfrog. For some reason, the bullfrogs would "freeze" whenever they looked into the flashlight. My father would then lunge forward with his stick and gig the frog. He would then swing his stick towards me and I would enclose the frog within the burlap sack and pull it off of the stick. This would continue until we made one complete circuit around the pond.

We would never make more than one circle around any one pond, and if we did not have what my father would decide as enough frogs, we would walk to the next pond. On most occasions, one circuit around the pond was usually sufficient and we would walk back to the house. We never went frog-gigging more than two times in any one month and I remember this activity with great fondness.

I remember receiving many visits from kinfolk during the summers of my childhood years. All of my relatives lived in Texas and they shared the same love for hunting and fishing as my father.

On one occasion, my favorite aunt and uncle traveled up to visit us and Dad invited my uncle to go frog-gigging with us. This required a change of protocol. My father would still lead with the stick, but my uncle would follow with the burlap sack and I would bring up the rear holding the lantern.

We made our plans and waited for it to get sufficiently dark. At approximately 9:00 PM we marched out towards the first pond. I anticipated a hearty catch as the pond seemed to be especially noisy this night. After about twenty minutes, we arrived at the pond's edge. Just as we started to edge our away around the pond, we were startled out of our concentration when an extremely bright flash engulfed our area. I remember the flash being so bright that I could clearly make out colors and see with great detail the surrounding area. The flash of light seemed to take no more than three or four seconds before it winked out and left the three of us standing there in stunned silence. For some reason, the area was deathly quiet as even the bullfrogs seemed to have quit their croaking.

The next few words uttered by my father and uncle still reverberate in my mind so many years later: "Ray, I reckon' we should just start headin' back to the house."

"Tom, I reckon you're right."

I did not say a word and turned to follow my father and uncle back to our home. We arrived without incident and as I was getting ready for bed, I noticed from the clock on the wall that it was after three o'clock in the morning!

"Dad, what time do you have?"

"Go to bed, son. We'll talk about it in the morning."

We never did talk about it after that and my father preempted my questions the next morning with the stern admonition to never mention the events of the past night to anybody else upon pain of punishment. I feared my father's belt and I would never bring up this incident again until many years later after my father had died. However, the incident seemed to die with my father as my uncle would not admit to any memory of the incident and he would casually dismiss any of my questions with the look of a man trying to placate the imaginings of an eccentric nephew.

Little did I know at that time that this would not be my family's only brush with the phenomenon of missing time.

Other hauntings by silverthane61

Hauntings with similar titles

Find ghost hunters and paranormal investigators from Oklahoma

Comments about this paranormal experience

The following comments are submitted by users of this site and are not official positions by yourghoststories.com. Please read our guidelines and the previous posts before posting. The author, silverthane61, has the following expectation about your feedback: I will read the comments and participate in the discussion.

silverthane61 (4 stories) (344 posts)
+3
4 years ago (2019-11-19)
jabond99 - I really am flattered. Thank you, but for someone who you say has reams of wise advice, I have only just figured out this karma thing which I have been ignorant about for so long!
jabond99 (3 stories) (61 posts)
+3
4 years ago (2019-11-18)
Silverthane,

I just wanted to express that I enjoy reading your posts to other stories (of course in addition to your own story). I find your observations quite helpful and orienting for myself even though they are for other people's stories. It seems you have collected a fair bit of wisdom in these matters. Just wanted to say I appreciate your posts.

James Bond
silverthane61 (4 stories) (344 posts)
+3
4 years ago (2019-11-18)
Cherubim, thanks for the kid words. I think my father refused to talk about it because he has had similar encounters and did not want to scare me. As for other encounters, I have another missing time incident relating to 2 of my aunts coming to visit us and I have another encounter personally involving missing time involving me and my sister.
Cherubim (14 stories) (245 posts)
+3
4 years ago (2019-11-15)
WOW! What a great read, thank you for sharing your story. ❤ I was born on a Marine base called Camp Lejeune in North Carolina and grew up on the edge of the Atlantic ocean on an old dirt road. Your story brought back so many memories! We used to swim with all those snakes as kids, (not realizing the danger) and I remember the frogs and all those wonderful sounds. I wonder why your dad didn't want to talk about this happening? How did you find out this was not his first experience with missing time? Fascinating...
silverthane61 (4 stories) (344 posts)
+3
4 years ago (2019-11-14)
Creolempath: Believe it or not, my younger sister had physical symptoms. I suffered from horrible nightmares. I cannot speak for my Dad or Uncle. I do not know if they suffered any physical symptoms after that night.
MrsRamsay (guest)
+4
4 years ago (2019-11-12)
I enjoyed the story as well as the Ft. Sill connection. JABond99, thank you for the Old Post Quad google hint! Wow, I just watched a video of my old house from 42 years ago and they look great! We lived not at Old Post Quad but at Academic Heights, which also has a video. They even took a shot looking down into that scary basement! I'm heading back over to read about hauntings there, quite interesting. Thanks again.
CreoleEmpath (3 stories) (12 posts)
+4
4 years ago (2019-11-12)
Intriguing experience. I can't wait to read more of your stories. Did you or your family members have any physical symptoms after this occurrence?
silverthane61 (4 stories) (344 posts)
+3
4 years ago (2019-11-11)
Amor, follow-up: The flash seemed to come from above. I do not remember seeing any shadows and the flash occurred so quickly that I did not look upwards. It was bright enough for me to see colors. I remember that detail. My Dad shared the original story about the first "flash" encounter before the one that I have written about, but he prefaced it by saying he thought it was the flash from a reconnaissance plane. I do not recall any missing time associated with that story.
silverthane61 (4 stories) (344 posts)
+4
4 years ago (2019-11-11)
Amor, my Mom and aunt were both awake when we arrived and there was some discussion between them and my Dad and Uncle. Me, being young was not privy to their conversation, having been ushered into my room. I have no doubt that our late arrival was the subject of their conversations and might explain my Dad's short conversation with me before making me go to bed. The whole incident was strange and unsettling.
Bibliothecarius (9 stories) (1091 posts)
+7
4 years ago (2019-11-11)
A quick note to Val:

Thanks for the etymology lesson. While I've heard the word in the past, I had no idea it had such a fascinating origin.

Always happy to learn,
Biblio.
Amor (5 stories) (64 posts)
+4
4 years ago (2019-11-11)
Very interesting. I did hear about paranormal experience of missing time experienced by group of people. But this is very vivid and you wrote so well. Thank you very much for sharing. I do have questions.

When you got back in your house, didn't you see your ma? She probably fell asleep waiting for you, or did she ask you about the incident?

About the flash, how detailed was the surrounding when it occured? Like daylight? Like overcast daylight? Or like a flash of lightning?

And your pa's story, you can try submitting it or sharing it in this comment. Surprised he shared that story with you when he was really stern about you not talking about what happened that night.

Again, thank you and feel free to share more.

Cheers,

Amor
silverthane61 (4 stories) (344 posts)
+9
4 years ago (2019-11-11)
To all the recent posters: I regret to admit that all of you are correct in this not being "ghostly". I even thought hard about this before posting it. I the 40 or so years since this event occurred, I have done some extensive and thorough research into the UFO and alien abduction area and have come to a persona conclusion that the events such as described within, RUFO's, alien contacts, abductions, etc, share disturbingly close parallels. Often ghost reports and UFO activity go had-in-hand. That being said, I promise to share those events that I have experienced that are more ghostly in nature. Thank you all so much for the insightful comments and please if there is blame to be assigned, blame me and not the Moderators. Peace all.
valkricry (48 stories) (3257 posts) mod
+9
4 years ago (2019-11-10)
Rook, bupkis is a word, which comes from the Yiddish word kozebupkes meaning, "goat pellets, droppings" but used for 'nothing' in general. As in, "I tried hard but got bupkis for it." In impolite company it's harsher translation is manure (as in the 4 letter word).

RC, we have multiple editors, and being human a lot of times editing just plays into the 'take' of the story. Sometimes, a mod might be a stickler for 'the rules', others perhaps not so much. I can't speak for whomever rejected your story because of 'no ghost',but I do know there have been times I've rejected for that reason.
Perhaps this will illustrate what I mean about 'take' on a story. I have this 'thing' about stories that are submitted saying it's in parts, especially when the reason is 'it's long enough'. There's no word limit, you could submit a bloomin' novel, we only have a minimum for words. I'll read the submission, but unless it seems complete, I'll send it back asking for it's completion, based on we have no minimum. Picky of me? Perhaps so, but I also know that for many of our regulars, stories submitted in parts raise a red flag as to truthfulness, and I can not guarantee the next 'chapter' will be published, just as I can't be sure I'd be the editor for it. I can imagine their confusion when another editor does publish one that comes in parts though, and how they feel when that doubt I spoke of is voiced in comments. I suppose one day, someone might try and call me out on that, however to me, my action is completely logical.
There is also the 'take' of a story on how it is comprehended by the person (editor) reading it - the interpretation of what the writer is conveying.
rookdygin (24 stories) (4458 posts)
+7
4 years ago (2019-11-10)
RC,

I can see that your mind is made up, despite the category the Mods chose to publish this under. Perhaps you could re-submit your investigation experience and explain that there are times that no matter how prepared the 'hunters' are and no matter how 'haunted' a place is supposed to be you sometimes get bupkiss (is that a word? It is now). Just because someone's experience does not include spirits/ghosts/goblins/ZOZO/Slender Man or a shadow wearing a Hat does not make it 'less' paranormal.

YGS is for those who have experienced something they can not explain and are searching for answers or at least someone who will believe them. Those are the reasons I have remained a member for so long.

So, everybody, deep breath in... Hold it... Let it out slowly... And please follow me to the Miss Demeanor for drinks and lite banter...

Https://www.yourghoststories.com/real-ghost-story.php?story=12009

Respectfully,

Rook
AugustaM (7 stories) (996 posts)
+8
4 years ago (2019-11-10)
Does anyone here have definitive proof that this experience was absolutely the work of extraterrestrials and not ghosts? Sure the time loss phenomenon has been commonly associated with UFO encounters but individuals have also experienced time related phenomena without any alien interference - take time slips for instance. The area where this occured has been rife with human activity for hundreds of years and, based on other comments, clearly has a reputation for unexplained phenomena - the experience at hand may be a ghostly occurrence somewhat unique to the place. Fact being that none of us can say with any degree of certainty what was behind this experience but to say that it was paranormal - "beyond the scope of normal scientific understanding" - therefore, I see absolutely no issue with its presence here.

Sounds like you three had quite a fright that night!
DarriuxDarkk (6 stories) (79 posts)
+6
4 years ago (2019-11-10)
To be fair, I have submitted stories that does not pertain to ghosts directly but more of weird unexplained events and the mods approved it. I also submitted stories that is somewhat pertaining to psychic experience and the mods didn't approved it.

All I'm saying is that I trust the mods with their decisions.

Also I've read this story, to be honest I really liked it, especially the weird thing that happened on loss of time and the bright light. For some reason that really stuck to me. I believe this story deserved to stay on this category of misc. It is a good read.

Thanks and God bless
RCRuskin (9 stories) (811 posts)
+3
4 years ago (2019-11-10)
Well, no, actually. YGS has no place for it.

Here is where I am coming from: I went on a ghost hunt, wrote a report, submitted it, rejected because 'no ghosts.'

Here is a story with no ghosts that gets published.

Seriously, mods, how do you let non-ghost stories through while also rejecting non-ghost stories?
rookdygin (24 stories) (4458 posts)
+7
4 years ago (2019-11-09)
RC,

With all due respect...

By silverthane61
(1 stories) (106 posts) (the author is a middle age adult)
Date: 2019-10-25
Country: United States
State: Oklahoma
Paranormal Category: Misc

I think the MODS covered their butts on this one by placing it in the Misc Paranormal Catagory. So Yes you are correct, no spirits, ghosts, hags, shadow people nor even the 'hat man' are present in this experience however YGS has a place for it. 😁 😲 😁

Respectfully,

Rook
RCRuskin (9 stories) (811 posts)
+3
4 years ago (2019-11-09)
Caz, I have nothing against the poster. But this story does not contain anything 'ghostly' in its content. That Silverthane did not know this is ghost or UFO is not too relevant. But the moderators should know what is ghost and what is not.
Caz (342 posts)
+4
4 years ago (2019-11-09)
Oh...I think that's a bit unfair RC! I'm with Spockie from the start, because I've researched UFOs ever since my mother saw a huge silver disc sitting in a clear blue sky with 6-8 other witnesses in 1959, but the poster didn't know this was a UFO story and there's no reason why the mods of a 'ghost site' should know either, so give them a break!
RCRuskin (9 stories) (811 posts)
+3
4 years ago (2019-11-09)
Interesting experience, but question to the mods: why did you let this non-ghost story through?
jabond99 (3 stories) (61 posts)
+2
4 years ago (2019-11-08)
Mrs Ramsay,

If you search for "Old Post Quadrangle", you will find many stories related to this area of housing which officers and families still use. Do you know if you were living in the Old Post Quadrangle when you lived on Fort Sill?

James Bond
MrsRamsay (guest)
+4
4 years ago (2019-11-08)
Wow, yes, that's sort of what I was afraid of, Silverthane. I remembered one more thing about that place: it's where I first saw Dark Shadows!
silverthane61 (4 stories) (344 posts)
+2
4 years ago (2019-11-08)
MrsRamsey: There are a lot of old ghosts that frequent the old post housing areas. Growing up in Lawton as a kid we were told many stories of the old haunts not only on Fort Sill proper, but also in the adjoining Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. Sounds to me like you and your friends may have channeled some residual paranormal energy in your home.
MrsRamsay (guest)
+4
4 years ago (2019-11-08)
Hi guys, I had read this interesting story last night and checking in this morning see that it's Ft. Sill. I was born there in 1961 and lived there again in about 1967. I didn't know there were ponds off base, sounds like fun... We lived just up a small hill from the officer's club (Dad was a Lt. Col. At that time, preparing to go to Vietnam) and most of my memories revolve around that swimming pool. But also, now that you mention paranormal stuff... The housing we lived in was unique and old, nice inside, but... Each building was huge and divided into four apartments. The basements were shared, with different "rooms" assigned to the different families, and I seem to recall rock walls, not the cement like we'd see today... And that NOBODY stored anything down there. It was almost empty, dark and very spooky. And then, there were three floors above the basements, including empty, third floor attics, accessed by a back stairway, that were even scarier even though they were very bright, with a dormer window in each. We peered in one time and I remember thinking it was really, really scary. Mom might've agreed, because we never stored stuff there and she forbade us to go up or even to that stairwell again. (I wish I could ask her what she felt there, but lost her six years ago). I have a vivid recall that both the attics and basements were completely empty. I remember playing "Star Trek" one time in the basement with our gang of kids, but it was the ONLY time we ever played down there. And here's the weird thing: I remember that our game rapidly turned into people either talking about torturing some kid or actually trying to tie some kid up (remember how Captain Kirk would sometimes get captured?). But the game got out of hand scary and it made a HUGE impression on me... I remember specifically telling the other kids I was leaving because they were scaring me so much and I knew my mom would not approve (and I was not one of the followers of this "gang" but one of the bossy girl leaders). I remember they had some kid lie down and were looking for something to tie him up with. None of us could've been older than 2nd or maybe third grade. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say I think that memory may have been my first "strange" and possibly paranormal experience. I've always remembered how alarming it all was and sort of questioned whether it was just my imagination that our play got out of hand but moreso, why has it stayed with me all these years (I'm 58 and have thought about this before every now and then)?

Of course, there was also a tiny jail cell on base that had a likeness (like an old mannequin) of Comanche Chief Geronimo in it... Which scared the heck out of me. Ft. Sill is apparently where he was held. So yeah, I believe there's some weird stuff there. However... I would like to also mention... If you all saw a big light, could it have been a helicopter squadron roaring overhead? Because that's what the Army does at night and I could see something like the light maybe causing a big scare out there, although that doesn't account for the lost time. (If it was a single person, I might say seizure, but three people can't have a seizure at one time!)
silverthane61 (4 stories) (344 posts)
+3
4 years ago (2019-11-08)
RSAchick, thank you for your kind comments. I really appreciate the support.

Zaruje, I also do not know what happened to us. But there is an interesting side note: The very same thing happened to my Dad while he was fishing alone on Fort Sill, but since I was not there, I am uncomfortable telling that story secondhand.
silverthane61 (4 stories) (344 posts)
+3
4 years ago (2019-11-08)
Jabond99, yes, indeed the area is Fort Sill. The event occurred right past gate 6. As for the reasons behind the silence, I also think that you are spot on as to why they have not talked. My Dad died at an early age, so any info on that night that he may have been willing to share went with him.
Zaruje (15 stories) (182 posts)
+4
4 years ago (2019-11-07)
Silverthane61 I love reading this story. It seems you had a really fun childhood.

I don't have any clue to what happened to you but I do hope to read more stories from you.
jabond99 (3 stories) (61 posts)
+3
4 years ago (2019-11-07)
Silverthane,

Is the post you refer to Fort Sill? I believe that army base has many paranormal stories associated with it, ghostly and otherwise. It is an area with long history, not least of which involve Native Americans. You probably know better than me about that.

It is too bad that those experiencing the same event would not talk about it and discuss it amongst themselves. I could understand why your father and uncle may not want to have discussed it with others, but I think the three of you could have hashed out what had happened. I can only think that your father was trying to protect you in some way, in his mind not having you get caught up in something that he found unexplainable.

James Bond
RSAChick (115 posts)
+6
4 years ago (2019-11-07)
silverthane61, I enjoyed reading this! You told it well and your last paragraph gives me hope that there is more to come... Soon please!

I have no idea what it could've been 🤷🏻‍♀️

Read previous comments

To publish a comment or vote, you need to be logged in (use the login form at the top of the page). If you don't have an account, sign up, it's free!

Search this site: