Gigantosaurus

Posted On June 17, 2026

Giant Bullfrogs Trigger Memories of St. Regis Pond

I was out in my Monroe Wildlife Area for my mid morning walk when a creature lurking in one of my ponds made me stop in my tracks. It was a gigantic bullfrog, at least five inches long. As it sat there contentedly in the water at pond’s edge, it appeared in overall size to be about as big around as a saucer.

I spotted another such bullfrog eariler this year in about the same spot. I’d tried to get a photo of that one, but it was wary and I missed my shot.

I raced back to the house for my camera, hoping for better results this time. Whe I returned I approached with great caution. Before my quarry sensed my presence and escaped to pond bottom safety I managed to successfully capture one image.

Immediately transported, I felt like a kid again. I hadn’t seen bullfrogs that big since family summer canoe camping expeditions into St. Regis Pond back when I was a boy growing up.

My overall recollection of those family canoe camping trips is a bit hazy at this point. That was over half a century ago. I was eleven or twelve at the time.

We had a pair of aluminum Grumman canoes, one a fourteen foot four man canoe, the other a twelve foot two man version. I still have both of them. Dad pintle mounted oar locks on the smaller one at some point. I camouflage painted it. It now serves as my Zen boat.

I remember crossing Little Clear Pond, fishing gear reluctantly but dutifully stowed, fantasizing about the size of the trout that must have been swimming around in there right under us. Dad manned the big Grumman with my younger brother. I shared paddling duties in the smaller canoe with my mother.

We had fishing gear, backpacks, Dad’s camp axe and bow saw, a small cooler of food, a Coleman lantern, cookstove, red & white Coleman water jug, two “stakeless” mountain tents, one two-man, one four-man, the two canoes, paddles, lifejackets…

I remember the canoe carry from Little Clear to Green Pond taking FOREVER, with swamp spawned swarms of ravenous mosquitos, deerflies & blackflies. I vividly recall that part of the trip being pure misery. Doubley so because with all of that gear we had to make two trips.

But the other thing I remember, aside from Little Clear Pond being off limits to fishing and the twelve year old misery of lugging a full backpack, two canoe paddles, water jug, fishing pole, tackle box, life jacket up and downhill forever twice through that long swamp, without being able to swat or wipe the bugs away from my sweaty face because both hands were full, were the giant bullfrog polywogs we encountered once we hit Green Pond.

Bullfrog polywogs by the dozen, with heads as big as my fist. Some of them with developing legs. I’ve never seen polywogs that gargantuan anywhere else. I remember them vividly. I called my brother Ray recently and asked if he remembered them. He confirmed my memory.

Green & St. Regis ponds are the only place I recall ever seeing them. Gigantosaurus bullfrogs and polywogs. Until this moment.

I carefully circled the pondbank hoping to successfully sneak up on another. I quietly crossed a small footbridge onto the smaller of my pond’s two islands.

While scanning the channel between the two islands my efforts were soon rewarded.

Just as I finished snapping the photo above, the giant bullfrog attacked and ate something.

It was another frog!

I’ve always known that Bullfrogs are carnivores. Until today, I never knew they were cannibals!

I guess from here forward when out wading my ponds I will exercise more caution, lest I become the next meal for a hungry Gigantosaurus bullfrog.

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Until Our Trails Cross Again:

ADKO