giant bullfrog
South Texas Hunting Association/ Facebook

This Texas Hunter Scores a Bullfrog with a Good Camera Angle

A photo of one Texas hunter's amazing catch has gone viral, but some online skeptics aren't taking the bait.

The internet erupted when the South Texas Hunting Association shared photos of Markcuz Rangel and his impressive catch. The hunter snagged a 13 lb. bullfrog while on a ranch in Batesville, Texas. But it was the photo of Rangel proudly holding the frog that had people in a tizzy.

 

From the photo, it looks like the frog is nearly as big as Rangel! But is it really as large as it appears? Steve Lightfoot, official spokesman for the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, doesn't think so.

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"[It's an] optical illusion created by extending frog toward the camera — similar to what you see with fishermen holding up fish to make them appear larger," he told the Houston Chronicle. "Still a big bullfrog, though."

It's a relief to know that massive bullfrogs won't be hopping all over our cities any time soon. But it's also a great reminder to always be cautious when it comes to what you see online.

This article was originally published in 2017.

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