Ep 7. Circle of Life

In this episode of North Woods Law, titled "Circle of Life," viewers are taken on a journey into the wildlife of Maine. The show looks at the balance of predator and prey, and the efforts that are taken to maintain that balance.

The episode begins with Maine Game Warden Alan Curtis as he checks fishing licenses on the Saco River. He inspects a river guide who has been fishing for the better part of the morning. Later, Curtis and Jeff Taylor patrol the Kibby Mountain Wildlife Management Area, where they encounter a potential poacher with a firearm in his vehicle. After being questioned, the suspect is found to be in violation of several Maine hunting regulations and is subsequently charged with multiple counts.

The next part of the episode covers National Park Ranger Brian Love as he climbs the steep and rugged mountains of Acadia National Park to search for peregrine falcons. These birds of prey were once on the brink of extinction, but with protection measures in place, their populations have been able to recover. Love and his team gather data on the falcons and monitor their nests. They also put tracking devices on the chicks in order to study their behavior and survival rates.

We then move to Mace's Pond in Caribou, Maine, where deer are known to gather at night to find water. Sgt. Jason Luce sets up a bait site near the pond to attract these deer in order to determine their numbers. The information gathered provides valuable data for planning the state's hunting season quotas for deer. Luce then spends the day patrolling the Aroostook County woods in search of illegal hunting activity.

Later on, the episode follows Game Warden Dave Chabot as he searches for illegal bear baiting sites in the woods of southern Maine. Bear baiting involves placing large amounts of food in an area in order to attract bears for hunting. It is illegal in the state of Maine, and Chabot is determined to stop it. With the help of a tracking dog, he follows a suspect's path into the woods, finding a large amount of bait hidden in a remote location. Chabot then sets up a stakeout to catch the poacher in the act, resulting in his arrest and multiple charges.

Finally, we end the episode with a glimpse into the world of the Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife's wildlife health program, which works to prevent and control diseases that affect Maine's wildlife populations. The program's staff takes samples of moose for testing and monitors their populations for signs of disease or infection. The biologists then analyze the data collected in order to determine what measures need to be taken to keep the moose population healthy.

Overall, "Circle of Life" provides an insightful look into the world of Maine's wildlife and the efforts that are taken by game wardens, rangers, and biologists to protect and preserve it. The episode highlights the delicate balance between predator and prey, and the importance of maintaining that balance in order to ensure the survival of Maine's wildlife populations.