Maine WMD 18: deer, moose and bear hunting, harvest and public land
Maine's Wildlife Management District 18 covers 1,317 square miles. Hunters registered 1,045 deer, 17 moose, 173 bears and 181 turkeys in its towns in 2025, adding up MDIFW's town figures. 3.3% of the district is public land, the largest share state public lands and parks (BPL) (15,691 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 18Neighboring WMDsHighway
| Size | 1,317 square miles (MDIFW) |
|---|---|
| Public land | 3.3% (28,186 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Pond Farm WMA |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 1,045 |
| Moose registered, 2025 | 17 |
| Bears registered, 2025 | 173 |
| Turkeys registered, 2025 | 93 spring, 88 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 18?
1,045 deer were registered in WMD 18's towns in 2025, against 798 in 2024. The last 15 years:
| Year | Deer | Moose | Bears | Spring turkeys | Fall turkeys |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,045 | 17 | 173 | 93 | 88 |
| 2024 | 798 | 24 | 186 | 69 | 61 |
| 2023 | 619 | 23 | 130 | 98 | 17 |
| 2022 | 626 | 28 | 216 | 125 | |
| 2021 | 537 | 26 | 245 | 95 | |
| 2020 | 519 | 27 | 246 | 92 | |
| 2019 | 498 | 20 | 112 | 122 | 45 |
| 2018 | 474 | 24 | 205 | 120 | 80 |
| 2017 | 424 | 17 | 178 | 64 | 43 |
| 2016 | 454 | 22 | 144 | 99 | 62 |
| 2015 | 350 | 20 | 201 | 93 | 58 |
| 2014 | 395 | 15 | 211 | 107 | 66 |
| 2013 | 389 | 15 | 190 | 154 | 48 |
| 2012 | 296 | 23 | 204 | 107 | 8 |
| 2011 | 258 | 36 | 149 | 104 | 1 |
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 18 have the most deer registered?
| Town | Deer, 2025 | Bears, 2025 | Moose, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln | 135 | 5 | 0 |
| Milo | 92 | 0 | 0 |
| Brownville | 82 | 6 | 0 |
| Bradley | 74 | 6 | 0 |
| Lee | 73 | 10 | 1 |
| Enfield | 63 | 2 | 0 |
| Chester | 51 | 4 | 1 |
| Alton | 48 | 4 | 0 |
Source: MDIFW's figures by town.
The most moose in 2025: Grand Falls Twp (3), T34 Md Bpp (3), T39 Md Bpp (2), Aurora (1) and Burlington (1).
When are the 2026-27 seasons in WMD 18?
| 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 18?
3.3% of WMD 18 is public land: 28,186 of its 843,280 acres. The largest share is state public lands and parks (BPL), 15,691 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of WMD 18 |
|---|---|---|
| State public lands and parks (BPL) | 15,691 | 1.9% |
| National wildlife refuge | 11,617 | 1.4% |
| Other state land | 445 | 0.1% |
| MDIFW land (WMAs) | 433 | 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 18
| WMA | Acres in WMD 18 |
|---|---|
| Pond Farm WMA | 318 |
Which districts border WMD 18?
| WMD | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Moose, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMD 10 | 21.7% | 177 | 28 | 142 |
| WMD 11 | 2.9% | 1,010 | 42 | 269 |
| WMD 14 | 3.7% | 621 | 21 | 102 |
| WMD 17 | 1.2% | 8,025 | 3 | 64 |
| WMD 19 | 5.3% | 357 | 31 | 180 |
| WMD 26 | 5.7% | 4,399 | 0 | 72 |
| WMD 28 | 7.9% | 762 | 12 | 190 |
Highways crossing WMD 18: I-95 (86 miles), ME 116 (54 miles), US 2 (48 miles), ME 6 (48 miles), ME 16 (28 miles) and ME 155 (25 miles).
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are taken in Maine WMD 18?
Hunters registered 1,045 deer in the towns of WMD 18 in 2025, adding up MDIFW's town figures; the five-year average to 2025 is 725 and the most since 2005 was 1,045 in 2025. The most came from Lincoln (135), Milo (92) and Brownville (82).
Is there a moose season in WMD 18?
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 17 moose in the district's towns in 2025.
When is deer season in WMD 18 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 18 (MDIFW 2026-27 Maine hunting seasons). An antlerless deer needs an antlerless permit.
How much public land is in WMD 18?
28,186 acres, 3.3% of the district, by PAD-US 4.1. MDIFW's wildlife management areas here: Pond Farm (318 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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