Ep 3. Schoolyard Bear

In North Woods Law season 11 episode 3, titled "Schoolyard Bear," viewers are introduced to the Maine Warden Service, a group of law enforcement officers responsible for patrolling Maine's vast wooded areas and enforcing hunting and fishing laws.

The episode begins with wardens Kris MacCabe and Alan Curtis responding to a call from a school in the nearby town of Fryeburg. The school has reported a black bear on its property, and the wardens must safely remove the animal before any children are harmed. As the wardens arrive on the scene, they see the bear lounging in a tree, seemingly unfazed by the commotion below.

MacCabe decides it's best to tranquilize the bear from a nearby rooftop, using a high-powered rifle and special tranquilizer darts. It's a risky move, and the bear must be shot in just the right spot to ensure its safety. After a few tense minutes, MacCabe takes the shot, and the bear slowly starts to lose consciousness. The wardens quickly scale the tree and safely bring the bear down to the ground below.

But this isn't the end of the bear's story. Later on, the wardens receive another call from a different Maine town, reporting a bear that has been breaking into homes and raiding trash cans. This time, wardens Kris MacCabe and Dave Ross must track down the bear and relocate it to a more remote area. They team up with a local homeowner who has spotted the bear and knows its movements, and use their expertise to lay a trap.

After a few hours of waiting, the bear finally takes the bait and is caught in a large, metal cage. The wardens work quickly to sedate the bear and check its vitals, making sure it's healthy enough for relocation. They then transport the bear to a remote area deep in the woods, where it can safely live without posing a threat to humans.

Meanwhile, wardens Mike Kenna and Eric Blanchard respond to a different call about a fisherman who has caught a shocking amount of illegal fish. The two wardens are shocked at the sheer number of fish the man has caught, and they work to properly identify each species to determine which ones are legal and which are not. The man claims that he had no idea he was breaking any laws, but Kenna and Blanchard aren't convinced.

Overall, "Schoolyard Bear" is an action-packed episode that showcases the hard work and dedication of the Maine Warden Service. From safely removing a bear from a schoolyard to tracking down a dangerous house-raiding bear to busting an illegal fisherman, these wardens are constantly on the move, protecting Maine's precious natural resources and enforcing the state's hunting and fishing laws.