Maine WMD 21: deer, moose and bear hunting, harvest and public land
Maine's Wildlife Management District 21 covers 696 square miles. Hunters registered 3,708 deer, 0 moose, 3 bears and 1,017 turkeys in its towns in 2025, adding up MDIFW's town figures. 2.2% of the district is public land, the largest share MDIFW land (WMAs) (5,880 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 21Neighboring WMDsHighway
| Size | 696 square miles (MDIFW) |
|---|---|
| Public land | 2.2% (9,995 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Steep Falls WMA, Morgan Meadow WMA, Thurston WMA |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 3,708 |
| Moose registered, 2025 | 0 |
| Bears registered, 2025 | 3 |
| Turkeys registered, 2025 | 700 spring, 317 fall |
| Deer firearms season, 2026 | November 2 to 28 (residents only day October 31) |
| Deer on a big game license, 2026 | Either sex during firearms and muzzleloader seasons (MDIFW) |
| Moose seasons, 2026 | None |
How many deer, moose and bears are taken in WMD 21?
3,708 deer were registered in WMD 21's towns in 2025, against 2,826 in 2024. The last 15 years:
| Year | Deer | Moose | Bears | Spring turkeys | Fall turkeys |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,708 | 0 | 3 | 700 | 317 |
| 2024 | 2,826 | 0 | 8 | 575 | 186 |
| 2023 | 2,688 | 0 | 0 | 631 | 4 |
| 2022 | 3,197 | 0 | 13 | 665 | |
| 2021 | 3,105 | 0 | 3 | 563 | |
| 2020 | 2,351 | 0 | 5 | 233 | |
| 2019 | 1,694 | 0 | 1 | 573 | 137 |
| 2018 | 2,198 | 0 | 0 | 553 | 226 |
| 2017 | 1,758 | 0 | 1 | 441 | 131 |
| 2016 | 1,654 | 0 | 5 | 562 | 174 |
| 2015 | 1,594 | 0 | 1 | 519 | 252 |
| 2014 | 1,601 | 0 | 0 | 476 | 118 |
| 2013 | 1,824 | 0 | 1 | 530 | 212 |
| 2012 | 1,738 | 0 | 1 | 619 | 63 |
| 2011 | 1,729 | 0 | 1 | 565 | 88 |
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 21 have the most deer registered?
| Town | Deer, 2025 | Bears, 2025 | Moose, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buxton | 474 | 0 | 0 |
| Standish | 360 | 3 | 0 |
| Gorham | 335 | 0 | 0 |
| Windham | 321 | 0 | 0 |
| New Gloucester | 320 | 0 | 0 |
| Durham | 269 | 0 | 0 |
| Saco | 252 | 0 | 0 |
| North Yarmouth | 229 | 0 | 0 |
Source: MDIFW's figures by town.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in WMD 21?
| 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 21?
2.2% of WMD 21 is public land: 9,995 of its 445,379 acres. The largest share is MDIFW land (WMAs), 5,880 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of WMD 21 |
|---|---|---|
| MDIFW land (WMAs) | 5,880 | 1.3% |
| State public lands and parks (BPL) | 3,750 | 0.8% |
| Other state land | 365 | 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 21
| WMA | Acres in WMD 21 |
|---|---|
| Steep Falls WMA | 3,882 |
| Morgan Meadow WMA | 1,250 |
| Thurston WMA | 88 |
Which districts border WMD 21?
| WMD | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Moose, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMD 15 | 1.9% | 3,620 | 0 | 63 |
| WMD 16 | 2.4% | 4,395 | 0 | 14 |
| WMD 20 | 4.2% | 3,631 | 0 | 11 |
| WMD 22 | 2.3% | 4,134 | 0 | 0 |
| WMD 24 | 4.4% | 1,849 | 0 | 0 |
Highways crossing WMD 21: I-95 (56 miles), ME 4 (46 miles), US 202 (46 miles), ME 100 (32 miles), ME 114 (29 miles) and ME 26 (28 miles). Towns inside: Westbrook.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are taken in Maine WMD 21?
Hunters registered 3,708 deer in the towns of WMD 21 in 2025, adding up MDIFW's town figures; the five-year average to 2025 is 3,105 and the most since 2005 was 3,708 in 2025. The most came from Buxton (474), Standish (360) and Gorham (335).
Is there a moose season in WMD 21?
No. MDIFW's 2026 moose seasons do not include WMD 21.
When is deer season in WMD 21 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 21 (MDIFW 2026-27 Maine hunting seasons). In WMD 21 a big game license allows one deer of either sex in the firearms and muzzleloader seasons.
How much public land is in WMD 21?
9,995 acres, 2.2% of the district, by PAD-US 4.1. MDIFW's wildlife management areas here: Steep Falls (3,882 acres), Morgan Meadow (1,250 acres) and Thurston (88 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.