Riders of the Whistling Pines (1949)

While trailing Forest Ranger Charles Carter who is suspected of permitting lumber man Henry Mitchell to cut restricted timber Gene fires at a dangerous mountain lion and apparently kills Carter Actually Bill Wright Mitchells associate killed Carter because the ranger had discovered tussock moth infestation in the forest and if the infestation was not reported the trees would die and have to be cut thereby profiting Mitchell and Wright In order to compensate the best he can Gene sells his sportsmans camp and gives the money to Carters daughter Helen En route to Texas Gene discovers the infestation and is assigned by the Forest Department to supervise the program of spraying the area with DDT from the air After the first day of spraying the DDT is blamed by furious stock men for the many animals found dead of poisoning