Maine WMD 17: deer, moose and bear hunting, harvest and public land
Maine's Wildlife Management District 17 covers 1,455 square miles. Hunters registered 8,025 deer, 3 moose, 64 bears and 1,142 turkeys in its towns in 2025, adding up MDIFW's town figures. 1.2% of the district is public land, the largest share MDIFW land (WMAs) (8,478 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 wildlife refugeNational Park ServiceOther state landMilitary (closed unless the base allows)WMD 17Neighboring WMDsHighway
| Size | 1,455 square miles (MDIFW) |
|---|---|
| Public land | 1.2% (11,513 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Bud Leavitt (Bull Hill) WMA, Mainstream WMA, St. Albans WMA, Madawaska Bog WMA |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 8,025 |
| Moose registered, 2025 | 3 |
| Bears registered, 2025 | 64 |
| Turkeys registered, 2025 | 696 spring, 446 fall |
| Deer firearms season, 2026 | November 2 to 28 (residents only day October 31) |
| Moose seasons, 2026 | October 12 to 17 (bulls only) |
How many deer, moose and bears are taken in WMD 17?
8,025 deer were registered in WMD 17's towns in 2025, against 5,618 in 2024. The last 15 years:
| Year | Deer | Moose | Bears | Spring turkeys | Fall turkeys |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8,025 | 3 | 64 | 696 | 446 |
| 2024 | 5,618 | 3 | 67 | 689 | 277 |
| 2023 | 5,025 | 1 | 72 | 774 | 121 |
| 2022 | 5,681 | 1 | 71 | 696 | |
| 2021 | 4,388 | 5 | 67 | 587 | |
| 2020 | 4,012 | 4 | 75 | 379 | |
| 2019 | 3,634 | 6 | 48 | 644 | 282 |
| 2018 | 4,441 | 5 | 59 | 699 | 349 |
| 2017 | 3,467 | 5 | 48 | 582 | 151 |
| 2016 | 3,496 | 6 | 59 | 656 | 356 |
| 2015 | 2,819 | 5 | 64 | 567 | 278 |
| 2014 | 2,995 | 7 | 60 | 623 | 250 |
| 2013 | 3,215 | 5 | 69 | 818 | 216 |
| 2012 | 2,653 | 13 | 56 | 699 | 167 |
| 2011 | 1,890 | 15 | 64 | 613 | 69 |
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 17 have the most deer registered?
| Town | Deer, 2025 | Bears, 2025 | Moose, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corinna | 417 | 1 | 0 |
| Saint Albans | 412 | 2 | 0 |
| Norridgewock | 353 | 0 | 0 |
| Corinth | 348 | 1 | 0 |
| Skowhegan | 339 | 0 | 0 |
| Exeter | 338 | 1 | 0 |
| Madison | 327 | 0 | 0 |
| Palmyra | 327 | 1 | 0 |
Source: MDIFW's figures by town.
The most moose in 2025: Brighton Plt (2) and Orneville Twp (1).
When are the 2026-27 seasons in WMD 17?
| 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) | 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 17?
1.2% of WMD 17 is public land: 11,513 of its 931,741 acres. The largest share is MDIFW land (WMAs), 8,478 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of WMD 17 |
|---|---|---|
| MDIFW land (WMAs) | 8,478 | 0.9% |
| State public lands and parks (BPL) | 2,970 | 0.3% |
| Other state land | 65 | 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 17
| WMA | Acres in WMD 17 |
|---|---|
| Bud Leavitt (Bull Hill) WMA | 6,410 |
| Mainstream WMA | 1,359 |
| St. Albans WMA | 417 |
| Madawaska Bog WMA | 292 |
Which districts border WMD 17?
| WMD | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Moose, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMD 13 | 2.7% | 1,466 | 1 | 61 |
| WMD 14 | 3.7% | 621 | 21 | 102 |
| WMD 16 | 2.4% | 4,395 | 0 | 14 |
| WMD 18 | 3.3% | 1,045 | 17 | 173 |
| WMD 23 | 2.7% | 5,108 | 0 | 7 |
| WMD 26 | 5.7% | 4,399 | 0 | 72 |
Highways crossing WMD 17: ME 43 (63 miles), US 2 (47 miles), ME 23 (45 miles), ME 11 (43 miles), ME 150 (41 miles) and ME 15 (37 miles).
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are taken in Maine WMD 17?
Hunters registered 8,025 deer in the towns of WMD 17 in 2025, adding up MDIFW's town figures; the five-year average to 2025 is 5,747 and the most since 2005 was 8,025 in 2025. The most came from Corinna (417), Saint Albans (412) and Norridgewock (353).
Is there a moose season in WMD 17?
Yes, by permit only. In 2026: bulls only October 12 to 17 (MDIFW 2026-27 Maine hunting seasons). Hunters registered 3 moose in the district's towns in 2025.
When is deer season in WMD 17 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 17 (MDIFW 2026-27 Maine hunting seasons). An antlerless deer needs an antlerless permit.
How much public land is in WMD 17?
11,513 acres, 1.2% of the district, by PAD-US 4.1. MDIFW's wildlife management areas here: Bud Leavitt (Bull Hill) (6,410 acres), Mainstream (1,359 acres), St. Albans (417 acres) and Madawaska Bog (292 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.