Maine WMD 16: deer, moose and bear hunting, harvest and public land
Maine's Wildlife Management District 16 covers 893 square miles. Hunters registered 4,395 deer, 0 moose, 14 bears and 847 turkeys in its towns in 2025, adding up MDIFW's town figures. 2.4% of the district is public land, the largest share state public lands and parks (BPL) (9,500 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)Other state landMilitary (closed unless the base allows)WMD 16Neighboring WMDsHighway
| Size | 893 square miles (MDIFW) |
|---|---|
| Public land | 2.4% (13,840 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Chesterville WMA, Gawler WMA, Tolla Wolla WMA, Mercer Bog WMA |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 4,395 |
| Moose registered, 2025 | 0 |
| Bears registered, 2025 | 14 |
| Turkeys registered, 2025 | 567 spring, 280 fall |
| Deer firearms season, 2026 | November 2 to 28 (residents only day October 31) |
| Moose seasons, 2026 | None |
How many deer, moose and bears are taken in WMD 16?
4,395 deer were registered in WMD 16's towns in 2025, against 2,941 in 2024. The last 15 years:
| Year | Deer | Moose | Bears | Spring turkeys | Fall turkeys |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4,395 | 0 | 14 | 567 | 280 |
| 2024 | 2,941 | 0 | 16 | 493 | 146 |
| 2023 | 2,700 | 0 | 2 | 583 | 20 |
| 2022 | 3,286 | 1 | 12 | 536 | |
| 2021 | 2,761 | 3 | 18 | 449 | |
| 2020 | 2,466 | 1 | 14 | 295 | |
| 2019 | 2,159 | 5 | 9 | 501 | 131 |
| 2018 | 2,656 | 1 | 3 | 456 | 361 |
| 2017 | 2,030 | 6 | 11 | 387 | 92 |
| 2016 | 1,512 | 1 | 10 | 359 | 211 |
| 2015 | 1,236 | 5 | 4 | 338 | 170 |
| 2014 | 1,365 | 10 | 8 | 481 | 102 |
| 2013 | 1,390 | 4 | 6 | 521 | 164 |
| 2012 | 1,377 | 3 | 6 | 501 | 109 |
| 2011 | 1,266 | 10 | 5 | 420 | 38 |
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 16 have the most deer registered?
| Town | Deer, 2025 | Bears, 2025 | Moose, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sidney | 433 | 0 | 0 |
| Turner | 287 | 0 | 0 |
| Fairfield | 281 | 0 | 0 |
| Leeds | 248 | 0 | 0 |
| Starks | 247 | 1 | 0 |
| Livermore | 246 | 0 | 0 |
| Jay | 244 | 3 | 0 |
| Mount Vernon | 236 | 0 | 0 |
Source: MDIFW's figures by town.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in WMD 16?
| 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 |
| 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 16?
2.4% of WMD 16 is public land: 13,840 of its 571,716 acres. The largest share is state public lands and parks (BPL), 9,500 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of WMD 16 |
|---|---|---|
| State public lands and parks (BPL) | 9,500 | 1.7% |
| MDIFW land (WMAs) | 4,221 | 0.7% |
| Other state land | 119 | 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 16
| WMA | Acres in WMD 16 |
|---|---|
| Chesterville WMA | 1,146 |
| Gawler WMA | 596 |
| Tolla Wolla WMA | 518 |
| Mercer Bog WMA | 350 |
| Martin Stream WMA | 257 |
| Tyler Pond WMA | 122 |
| George Bucknam (Belgrade Stream) WMA | 108 |
Which districts border WMD 16?
| WMD | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Moose, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMD 12 | 13.2% | 1,470 | 11 | 220 |
| WMD 13 | 2.7% | 1,466 | 1 | 61 |
| WMD 15 | 1.9% | 3,620 | 0 | 63 |
| WMD 17 | 1.2% | 8,025 | 3 | 64 |
| WMD 21 | 2.2% | 3,708 | 0 | 3 |
| WMD 22 | 2.3% | 4,134 | 0 | 0 |
| WMD 23 | 2.7% | 5,108 | 0 | 7 |
Highways crossing WMD 16: ME 27 (34 miles), ME 11 (34 miles), US 2 (33 miles), ME 4 (33 miles), ME 133 (28 miles) and ME 8 (28 miles).
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are taken in Maine WMD 16?
Hunters registered 4,395 deer in the towns of WMD 16 in 2025, adding up MDIFW's town figures; the five-year average to 2025 is 3,217 and the most since 2005 was 4,395 in 2025. The most came from Sidney (433), Turner (287) and Fairfield (281).
Is there a moose season in WMD 16?
No. MDIFW's 2026 moose seasons do not include WMD 16.
When is deer season in WMD 16 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 16 (MDIFW 2026-27 Maine hunting seasons). An antlerless deer needs an antlerless permit.
How much public land is in WMD 16?
13,840 acres, 2.4% of the district, by PAD-US 4.1. MDIFW's wildlife management areas here: Chesterville (1,146 acres), Gawler (596 acres), Tolla Wolla (518 acres) and Mercer Bog (350 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.
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