Legislation advancing in Michigan would let hunters kill frogs all year round and lift a ban against spearing frogs by using an artificial light.
The Senate passed the bill 29-8 Thursday and sent it to the House for consideration. Michigan now prohibits killing any species of frog between mid-November and late spring.
It also bars frog-spearing — or "gigging" — which is popular among young people in southern states, according to a legislative analysis.
The bill's opponents say frog-spearing is inhumane and frogs need protection to breed.
Supporters, however, say the legislation would promote outdoor recreation and it makes no sense to prohibit frog-spearing with a flashlight because hunters already can use artificial light to net or hook frogs.
