The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 31, 1905

Moving Time in Frogland

Thousands Swarm Streets

Resident of West Fort Dodge Tells a Story of Their Trip Up The Hill and Across The Tracks – Move Means Fishing is Good at This Time.

For the past few nights the migration of the frogs from the river to the higher grounds on the tops of the hills has been taking place, and it is one of the most peculiar sights that has been seen in Fort Dodge for a long time. The frogs seem to do all of their moving in the night, and after nine o’clock the streets down toward the river have been swarming with the hop toads on the move.

A resident of West Fort Dodge who has witnessed the sight on two or three nights, states that there were hundreds of the little fellows, and that they fairly swarmed over the sidewalks, so that it was hard to walk without stepping on them at times. On his way toward the bridge he notices the first one at the top of the hill just above the tracks. This one hopped off the walk in front of him, and taking a few steps more there were several others jumping past him. As he got down to the tracks, they were swarming on every side, and hundreds of them were encountered from there on down to the river.

There was no mistaking the way they were traveling, as they were all headed toward the top of the hill and were going right along as though they had a definite idea as to their destination.

Other people report that while the emigration of frogs was gong on here, the same thing was happening farther  up the river and that they were swarming up the hill toward Round Prairie in the same manner. It is probably that the movement was general and that they were making for the ponds, sloughs and creeks farther back on the hills.

While this movement has never been remarked in Fort Dodge, it is said to be no very uncommon thing, and that when the frogs leave the river in this manner, they are fleeing for their lives from the fish, which denotes that the fishing is good. However, owing to strict enforcement of the game laws, the fact that the fishing is good will not do much toward making local fishermen happy.

Tags: 1905, frogs, Round Prairie