Mission Valley True Crime: Outlaws on the….Hop

There is a major turf war happening right now in the Mission Valley wetlands, and the locals are losing.

The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT)—alongside the Montana Conservation Corps, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, and the Montana Invasive Species Council (MISC)—have officially put out a WANTED poster for the ultimate ecosystem party crasher: the Invasive American Bullfrog.

The charge? Outcompeting the locals and literally eating everything in sight.

These aren’t your average friendly neighborhood amphibians. American bullfrogs are notorious gluttons with zero boundaries. If it fits inside their mouth, it’s dinner. Their current menu includes everything from birds and turtles to our beloved native amphibians—specifically targeting the Columbia spotted frog, the Northern leopard frog, and the Western toad.

Because they are pushing out the species that actually belong here, wildlife crews need your eyes and ears to track them down. Here is how to spot the suspects before they clear out the pond.

How to Spot the Outlaws

The Grown-Ups (Adults)

• The Voice: They don’t chirp or ribbit; they have a distinct, low-pitched “Brum” call.
• The Face: Plain and smooth. No fancy stripes, no spots, just a blank stare.
• The Body: Smooth operators. They have no raised back ridges.
• The Size: Massive. They range from 4 to 8 inches long.

The Youth (Tadpoles)

• The Look: Green with flashy black and gold speckles and light yellow bellies.
• The Size: Absolute units. They can grow up to 6 inches long—making them significantly larger than any native tadpole species you’ll find in the area.

See Something, Say Something

If you hear that telltale “Brum” or spot a frog the size of a dinner plate while you’re out in the Mission Valley, the Bullfrog Crew wants to hear about it.

You can tip off the authorities by emailing missionvalley.bullfrogcrew@gmail.com or scanning the QR code on the official CSKT flyers around town and below. Let’s help the native frogs reclaim their turf!