Segments showcase the state’s K-9 cops, the search for missing turkeys and bees, and the fast-flying world of disc golf.
Maryland Public Television’s (MPT) award-winning original series Outdoors Maryland, now in its 35th anniversary season, will feature wildlife, people, and places from Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore and locations in between during episodes premiering November 21 and 28. Produced in cooperation with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Outdoors Maryland continues to captivate viewers with memorable stories and dazzling videography. A preview of the new season is available for viewing at youtube.com/watch?v=ri–ixoemds.
Outdoors Maryland airs Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. on MPT-HD and online at mpt.org/livestream. Concurrent with their broadcast debut, episodes are also available to watch on demand using MPT’s online video player and the PBS App.
Episodes debuting on November 21 and 28 highlight dedicated dogs and a wild turkey mystery, bumblebee trackers and enthusiastic frisbee flingers, and deep dives into the state’s shallow waters. Segments premiering during these two episodes are:
Episode 3502 – Tuesday, November 21
- A Disappearing Act (Wicomico County) – Wild turkeys once thrived on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, and their declining numbers have confounded scientists. DNR biologist Bob Long is determined to solve the mystery of their disappearances, relying on the elusive turkeys themselves to serve as informants. From an early morning stakeout to an investigation of eggs gone missing in Wicomico County, viewers follow Long as he works to crack the case.
- Paws of the Law (Harford County) – The officers of the Maryland Natural Resources Police K-9 unit, both two-legged and four-legged, share a dedication to their work and to each other. Follow Sgt. April Mathias and her partner Badger, along with expert instructor Ken Mathias, as they train a new group of canine and human officers at Sandy Point State Park in Anne Arundel County. Tag along on the job with officer Brian Walter and Jazzy as they patrol Maryland’s public lands to sniff out illegal poaching, recover evidence, and even assist with an active missing persons search in Harford County.
- Beneath the Surface (Prince George’s and Harford counties) – Maryland’s 16,000 miles of streams and rivers, and the diverse creatures that call them home, are the focus of the Maryland Biological Stream Survey. Collecting data on everything from land use and erosion to fish and invertebrate populations, intrepid crews trek through the shallows to measure the state’s underwater well-being. Learn the ropes with a new crew of aspiring stream samplers at the Bowie State University Center for Natural Sciences before venturing into waterways such as Harford County’s Gladden Branch and Harford Glen.
Episode 3503 – Tuesday, November 28
- The Bee Seekers (Prince George’s and Garrett counties, Baltimore City) – From ground-dwelling miner bees to metallic green sweat bees, roughly 450 native species of these buzzy pollinators can be found in Maryland, many threatened by habitat loss. Visit the Native Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab to meet biologist Sam Droege, who is creating a “census” of Maryland’s bee population. Join ecologist Mark Hepner, along with Rodney Richardson from the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Appalachian Lab, as they track the endangered rusty-patched bumblebee along some of the state’s highest ridgelines. Tour Baltimore pollinator gardens such as the one at The 6th Branch Johnston Square Farm, which beautify neighborhoods and provide healthy food while serving as a safe haven for native bees.
- A Fling in the Park (Anne Arundel County and Baltimore City) – Experience the thrill of fast-flying frisbees with a cohort of Maryland disc golfers. Developed in the 1970s, disc golf is now one of the fastest growing sports in the world, with new courses popping up in public parks every year. Join professional disc golfer Will Dobrzykowski during a tournament at North Glen Park to experience first-hand the challenges of playing on Maryland’s rough terrain. Then, meet North Glen’s course designer Duncan Yeager, an early adopter of the sport and fixture in the local disc golf community, and join him during a friendly game with fellow enthusiasts at Baltimore’s Druid Hill Park.
- Angling for Glory (Charles and Prince George’s counties) – Aggressive and full of fight, no fish holds a tighter grip on the American imagination than the freshwater bass. Its storied Maryland history begins with some 20 of the sturdy fish dumped into the C & O Canal Basin by a railway worker traveling through the state. Ride along with lifelong angler Steve Wiseman as he heads out into the grassy coves of the Potomac River near Smallwood State Park to compete in a bass fishing tournament, and meet DNR biologist Joe Love and his team as they track the abundance of these predators, which have long been threatened by pollution.
Since debuting in 1988, MPT has produced more than 700 Outdoors Maryland stories on topics ranging from science-oriented environmental issues to segments about unusual people, animals, and places around the state. The series has earned more than 50 awards over nearly 35 years of production, including several Emmy® Awards from the National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
About Maryland Public Television
Maryland Public Television (MPT) is a statewide, public-supported TV network and Public Broadcasting Service member offering entertaining, educational, and inspiring content delivered by traditional broadcasting and streaming on TVs, computers, and mobile devices. A state agency, it operates under the auspices of the Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission. MPT creates local, regional, and national content and is a frequent winner of regional Emmy® awards. MPT’s commitment to educators, parents, caregivers, and learners of all ages is delivered through instructional events and Thinkport.org. MPT’s year-round community engagement activities connect viewers with resources on a wide range of topics. For more information visit mpt.org.
