Maine WMD 12: deer, moose and bear hunting, harvest and public land
Maine's Wildlife Management District 12 covers 1,014 square miles. Hunters registered 1,470 deer, 11 moose, 220 bears and 322 turkeys in its towns in 2025, adding up MDIFW's town figures. 13.2% of the district is public land, the largest share national forest (48,186 acres).
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: MDIFW's registered harvest by town. Seasons: MDIFW 2026-27 Maine hunting seasons. Land: PAD-US 4.1.
State public lands and parks (BPL)MDIFW land (WMAs)National forestNational wildlife refugeNational Park ServiceMilitary (closed unless the base allows)WMD 12Neighboring WMDsHighway
| Size | 1,014 square miles (MDIFW) |
|---|---|
| Public land | 13.2% (85,860 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Flagg WMA |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 1,470 |
| Moose registered, 2025 | 11 |
| Bears registered, 2025 | 220 |
| Turkeys registered, 2025 | 254 spring, 68 fall |
| Deer firearms season, 2026 | November 2 to 28 (residents only day October 31) |
| Moose seasons, 2026 | September 28 to October 3 (bulls only); October 12 to 17 (bulls only) |
How many deer, moose and bears are taken in WMD 12?
1,470 deer were registered in WMD 12's towns in 2025, against 1,149 in 2024. The last 15 years:
| Year | Deer | Moose | Bears | Spring turkeys | Fall turkeys |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,470 | 11 | 220 | 254 | 68 |
| 2024 | 1,149 | 24 | 235 | 237 | 62 |
| 2023 | 1,074 | 18 | 168 | 262 | 27 |
| 2022 | 1,247 | 17 | 272 | 253 | |
| 2021 | 992 | 23 | 249 | 196 | |
| 2020 | 838 | 15 | 280 | 124 | |
| 2019 | 805 | 21 | 197 | 196 | 38 |
| 2018 | 1,084 | 31 | 221 | 135 | 126 |
| 2017 | 840 | 24 | 118 | 241 | 40 |
| 2016 | 766 | 18 | 183 | 235 | 57 |
| 2015 | 570 | 24 | 164 | 247 | 66 |
| 2014 | 760 | 24 | 161 | 197 | 31 |
| 2013 | 848 | 36 | 135 | 306 | 45 |
| 2012 | 706 | 32 | 179 | 235 | 21 |
| 2011 | 644 | 37 | 111 | 226 | 15 |
Sources: MDIFW white-tailed deer harvest by town; MDIFW moose harvest by town; MDIFW black bear harvest by town; MDIFW wild turkey harvest by town. Added up by FilledTag from MDIFW's figures by town: each town is counted in the district that holds its centre, so a town on a district line counts wholly on one side. A blank cell means MDIFW lists no figure for the district's towns that year.
Which towns in WMD 12 have the most deer registered?
| Town | Deer, 2025 | Bears, 2025 | Moose, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norway | 243 | 3 | 0 |
| Hartford | 121 | 3 | 0 |
| Sumner | 113 | 1 | 0 |
| Canton | 104 | 1 | 0 |
| Andover | 94 | 10 | 0 |
| Bethel | 90 | 21 | 0 |
| Rumford | 89 | 7 | 0 |
| Dixfield | 85 | 8 | 1 |
Source: MDIFW's figures by town.
The most moose in 2025: Byron (2), Grafton Twp (2), Greenwood (2), Roxbury (2) and Dixfield (1).
When are the 2026-27 seasons in WMD 12?
| Season | Dates, 2026-27 |
|---|---|
| Deer, regular archery | October 3 to 30 |
| Deer, youth hunt | October 23 to 24 |
| Deer, Maine residents only day | October 31 |
| Deer, firearms | November 2 to 28 |
| Deer, muzzleloader | November 30 to December 5 |
| Deer, muzzleloader (second week, this WMD) | December 7 to 12 |
| Moose, bulls only (by permit) | September 28 to October 3 |
| Moose, bulls only (by permit) | October 12 to 17 |
| Bear, hunting with bait | August 31 to September 26 |
| Bear, hunting with dogs | September 14 to October 30 |
| Bear, general season | August 31 to November 28 |
| Turkey, fall (archery or shotgun) | September 14 to November 7 |
| Turkey, spring (bearded birds) | May 3 to June 5, 2027; 2 birds in this WMD |
Source: MDIFW 2026-27 Maine hunting seasons. Antlerless deer permits, moose permits and bag limits are set by district; MDIFW's law book has them.
How much public land is in WMD 12?
13.2% of WMD 12 is public land: 85,860 of its 649,166 acres. The largest share is national forest, 48,186 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of WMD 12 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 48,186 | 7.4% |
| State public lands and parks (BPL) | 36,908 | 5.7% |
| National Park Service | 581 | 0.1% |
| MDIFW land (WMAs) | 181 | under 0.1% |
| Military (closed unless the base allows) | 155 | under 0.1% |
| Other state land | 4 | under 0.1% |
Measured by FilledTag inside MDIFW's district line from USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US 4.1). Much of Maine's woods are private land open to hunting by custom; this table counts only public ownership.
Wildlife management areas in WMD 12
| WMA | Acres in WMD 12 |
|---|---|
| Flagg WMA | 174 |
Which districts border WMD 12?
| WMD | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Moose, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMD 7 | 8.9% | 1,094 | 95 | 206 |
| WMD 13 | 2.7% | 1,466 | 1 | 61 |
| WMD 15 | 1.9% | 3,620 | 0 | 63 |
| WMD 16 | 2.4% | 4,395 | 0 | 14 |
Highways crossing WMD 12: US 2 (58 miles), ME 26 (43 miles), ME 5 (39 miles), ME 17 (37 miles), ME 108 (18 miles) and ME 142 (16 miles).
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are taken in Maine WMD 12?
Hunters registered 1,470 deer in the towns of WMD 12 in 2025, adding up MDIFW's town figures; the five-year average to 2025 is 1,186 and the most since 2005 was 1,470 in 2025. The most came from Norway (243), Hartford (121) and Sumner (113).
Is there a moose season in WMD 12?
Yes, by permit only. In 2026: bulls only September 28 to October 3; bulls only October 12 to 17 (MDIFW 2026-27 Maine hunting seasons). Hunters registered 11 moose in the district's towns in 2025.
When is deer season in WMD 12 in 2026?
Regular archery October 3 to 30, youth day October 23 to 24, residents only day October 31, firearms November 2 to 28, and muzzleloader November 30 to December 5, with a second muzzleloader week December 7 to 12 in WMD 12 (MDIFW 2026-27 Maine hunting seasons). An antlerless deer needs an antlerless permit.
How much public land is in WMD 12?
85,860 acres, 13.2% of the district, by PAD-US 4.1. MDIFW's wildlife management areas here: Flagg (174 acres).
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Where these numbers come from
- Harvest: MDIFW white-tailed deer harvest by town; MDIFW moose harvest by town; MDIFW black bear harvest by town; MDIFW wild turkey harvest by town.
- Seasons: MDIFW 2026-27 Maine hunting seasons.
- District boundary: MDIFW Wildlife Management Districts. WMAs: MDIFW Wildlife Management Area boundaries. Public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US 4.1).
- Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places.
FilledTag is not part of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Numbers are copied from MDIFW and federal sources, added up from MDIFW's town figures, or measured from their maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.