Rochester native embraces 'wild' side of the law

Maine Game Warden Carleton Richardson explains the need to register motor bikes before you start riding the trails to a Lebanon rider during a segment of ;North Woods Law' that airs on Animal Planet. (Animal Planet image)

A lot of people joke about "living the dream," but Carleton Richardson's the real deal.

As a Maine Game Warden the Rochester native gets to be out in the great outdoors enforcing wildlife protection and game laws as well as keeping an eye on recreational activities such as ATV, dirt bikes and snowmobiles.

"Growing up I always wanted to be a game warden," he said on Monday.

Now he can add TV star to his bucket list as he's been a regular on Animal Planet's hit show North Woods Law for the past three years.

Richardson said this season's North Woods Law just finished filming for the season and next year the show could be on to another state.

He said the show has been a boon for the Wardens Service.

"The show has allowed us to give a great representation for game wardens' service," said Richardson, who grew up in Rochester, graduating from Spaulding High School in 2003.

He has strong ties and family living in Lebanon now and resides with his wife and son up in Waterboro, Maine.

Richardson, 30, covers a large swath of York County for the warden's service, including Sanford, Alfred, Shapleigh, Acton, Newfield and Lebanon.

He began his pursuit of a career in law enforcement straight out of high school getting an associate's degree at Hesser College in Manchester before landing his first job as a reserve officer with the Old Orchard Beach Police Department.

Later he hired on with the Biddeford Police for seven years before going to the Maine police academy and warden school prior to starting as a game warden for Maine three years ago.

So what's his favorite thing about his job?

"Probably dealing with different types of wildlife," he said. "Being a regular cop you don't get to go out and enjoy wildlife.

"Plus most of the time when people are dealing with a regular cop it's a bad time. With me, it's usually a much more positive reaction."

In one North Woods Law show, he recalled having to discipline a pair of Lebanon teenagers who were riding unregistered dirt bikes on Smith Road. While the teens weren't happy about being caught, they were respectful and remorseful about what they'd done.

The nice thing about his job is, however, he never knows what the next day's challenges will be.

Hunting season is his busiest time, but he said it's still busy now with trapping season under way.

"There's always something," he said.