Maine WMD 15: deer, moose and bear hunting, harvest and public land
Maine's Wildlife Management District 15 covers 1,103 square miles. Hunters registered 3,620 deer, 0 moose, 63 bears and 1,017 turkeys in its towns in 2025, adding up MDIFW's town figures. 1.9% of the district is public land, the largest share MDIFW land (WMAs) (6,966 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 refugeOther state landMilitary (closed unless the base allows)WMD 15Neighboring WMDsHighway
| Size | 1,103 square miles (MDIFW) |
|---|---|
| Public land | 1.9% (13,064 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Maj. Gregory Sanborn (Brownfield Bog) WMA, Steep Falls WMA, Northwest River WMA |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 3,620 |
| Moose registered, 2025 | 0 |
| Bears registered, 2025 | 63 |
| Turkeys registered, 2025 | 685 spring, 332 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 15?
3,620 deer were registered in WMD 15's towns in 2025, against 2,692 in 2024. The last 15 years:
| Year | Deer | Moose | Bears | Spring turkeys | Fall turkeys |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,620 | 0 | 63 | 685 | 332 |
| 2024 | 2,692 | 2 | 90 | 632 | 184 |
| 2023 | 2,740 | 0 | 43 | 695 | 44 |
| 2022 | 3,279 | 1 | 124 | 686 | |
| 2021 | 2,885 | 3 | 74 | 579 | |
| 2020 | 2,166 | 3 | 117 | 356 | |
| 2019 | 1,735 | 5 | 71 | 587 | 184 |
| 2018 | 2,248 | 5 | 101 | 601 | 391 |
| 2017 | 1,800 | 6 | 67 | 551 | 134 |
| 2016 | 1,267 | 0 | 77 | 615 | 298 |
| 2015 | 1,173 | 14 | 72 | 512 | 334 |
| 2014 | 1,249 | 9 | 83 | 428 | 146 |
| 2013 | 1,725 | 6 | 29 | 585 | 270 |
| 2012 | 1,639 | 15 | 84 | 552 | 89 |
| 2011 | 1,464 | 13 | 48 | 455 | 64 |
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 15 have the most deer registered?
| Town | Deer, 2025 | Bears, 2025 | Moose, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn | 360 | 0 | 0 |
| Parsonsfield | 241 | 12 | 0 |
| Oxford | 195 | 1 | 0 |
| Minot | 190 | 1 | 0 |
| Buckfield | 188 | 2 | 0 |
| Paris | 187 | 2 | 0 |
| Hiram | 180 | 0 | 0 |
| Limington | 180 | 1 | 0 |
Source: MDIFW's figures by town.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in WMD 15?
| 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 15?
1.9% of WMD 15 is public land: 13,064 of its 705,905 acres. The largest share is MDIFW land (WMAs), 6,966 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of WMD 15 |
|---|---|---|
| MDIFW land (WMAs) | 6,966 | 1% |
| State public lands and parks (BPL) | 3,450 | 0.5% |
| National forest | 2,031 | 0.3% |
| Other state land | 617 | 0.1% |
| Military (closed unless the base allows) | 177 | 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 15
| WMA | Acres in WMD 15 |
|---|---|
| Maj. Gregory Sanborn (Brownfield Bog) WMA | 5,828 |
| Steep Falls WMA | 129 |
| Northwest River WMA | 73 |
Which districts border WMD 15?
| WMD | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Moose, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMD 12 | 13.2% | 1,470 | 11 | 220 |
| WMD 16 | 2.4% | 4,395 | 0 | 14 |
| WMD 20 | 4.2% | 3,631 | 0 | 11 |
| WMD 21 | 2.2% | 3,708 | 0 | 3 |
Highways crossing WMD 15: ME 117 (63 miles), ME 5 (51 miles), ME 113 (39 miles), ME 160 (33 miles), ME 11 (26 miles) and ME 121 (22 miles). Towns inside: Auburn.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are taken in Maine WMD 15?
Hunters registered 3,620 deer in the towns of WMD 15 in 2025, adding up MDIFW's town figures; the five-year average to 2025 is 3,043 and the most since 2005 was 3,620 in 2025. The most came from Auburn (360), Parsonsfield (241) and Oxford (195).
Is there a moose season in WMD 15?
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 0 moose in the district's towns in 2025.
When is deer season in WMD 15 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 15 (MDIFW 2026-27 Maine hunting seasons). An antlerless deer needs an antlerless permit.
How much public land is in WMD 15?
13,064 acres, 1.9% of the district, by PAD-US 4.1. MDIFW's wildlife management areas here: Maj. Gregory Sanborn (Brownfield Bog) (5,828 acres), Steep Falls (129 acres) and Northwest River (73 acres).
Get a Maine hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Maine are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Maine included.
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.