Maine WMD 22: deer, moose and bear hunting, harvest and public land
Maine's Wildlife Management District 22 covers 622 square miles. Hunters registered 4,134 deer, 0 moose, 0 bears and 791 turkeys in its towns in 2025, adding up MDIFW's town figures. 2.3% of the district is public land, the largest share MDIFW land (WMAs) (8,550 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 22Neighboring WMDsHighway
| Size | 622 square miles (MDIFW) |
|---|---|
| Public land | 2.3% (9,288 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Merrymeeting Bay WMA, Steve Powell (Swan Island) WMA, Jamies (Jimmie) Pond WMA, Earle R. Kelly (Dresden Bog) WMA |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 4,134 |
| Moose registered, 2025 | 0 |
| Bears registered, 2025 | 0 |
| Turkeys registered, 2025 | 556 spring, 235 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 22?
4,134 deer were registered in WMD 22's towns in 2025, against 3,257 in 2024. The last 15 years:
| Year | Deer | Moose | Bears | Spring turkeys | Fall turkeys |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4,134 | 0 | 0 | 556 | 235 |
| 2024 | 3,257 | 0 | 0 | 446 | 171 |
| 2023 | 3,197 | 0 | 1 | 546 | 43 |
| 2022 | 3,895 | 0 | 1 | 577 | |
| 2021 | 3,693 | 0 | 0 | 470 | |
| 2020 | 3,198 | 0 | 0 | 279 | |
| 2019 | 2,473 | 0 | 0 | 677 | 139 |
| 2018 | 2,946 | 0 | 1 | 563 | 321 |
| 2017 | 2,185 | 0 | 1 | 581 | 118 |
| 2016 | 1,456 | 0 | 0 | 528 | 212 |
| 2015 | 1,257 | 0 | 0 | 372 | 240 |
| 2014 | 1,351 | 0 | 0 | 593 | 142 |
| 2013 | 1,461 | 0 | 2 | 616 | 200 |
| 2012 | 1,193 | 2 | 1 | 604 | 112 |
| 2011 | 1,081 | 2 | 1 | 527 | 109 |
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 22 have the most deer registered?
| Town | Deer, 2025 | Bears, 2025 | Moose, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond | 352 | 0 | 0 |
| Pittston | 281 | 0 | 0 |
| Whitefield | 276 | 0 | 0 |
| Bowdoinham | 266 | 0 | 0 |
| Bowdoin | 262 | 0 | 0 |
| Litchfield | 220 | 0 | 0 |
| Lewiston | 217 | 0 | 0 |
| Monmouth | 215 | 0 | 0 |
Source: MDIFW's figures by town.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in WMD 22?
| 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 22?
2.3% of WMD 22 is public land: 9,288 of its 398,480 acres. The largest share is MDIFW land (WMAs), 8,550 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of WMD 22 |
|---|---|---|
| MDIFW land (WMAs) | 8,550 | 2.1% |
| State public lands and parks (BPL) | 667 | 0.2% |
| Other state land | 71 | 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 22
| WMA | Acres in WMD 22 |
|---|---|
| Merrymeeting Bay WMA | 3,904 |
| Steve Powell (Swan Island) WMA | 1,481 |
| Jamies (Jimmie) Pond WMA | 886 |
| Earle R. Kelly (Dresden Bog) WMA | 863 |
| Caesar Pond WMA | 539 |
| Green Point WMA | 308 |
| Kennebec River Estuary WMA | 284 |
Which districts border WMD 22?
| WMD | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Moose, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMD 16 | 2.4% | 4,395 | 0 | 14 |
| WMD 21 | 2.2% | 3,708 | 0 | 3 |
| WMD 23 | 2.7% | 5,108 | 0 | 7 |
| WMD 24 | 4.4% | 1,849 | 0 | 0 |
| WMD 25 | 1.9% | 3,853 | 0 | 2 |
| WMD 29 | 0.3% | 897 | 0 | 0 |
Highways crossing WMD 22: I-95 (61 miles), I-295 (45 miles), ME 9 (37 miles), ME 126 (37 miles), US 201 (32 miles) and ME 24 (28 miles). Towns inside: Lewiston, Gardiner and Hallowell.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are taken in Maine WMD 22?
Hunters registered 4,134 deer in the towns of WMD 22 in 2025, adding up MDIFW's town figures; the five-year average to 2025 is 3,635 and the most since 2005 was 4,134 in 2025. The most came from Richmond (352), Pittston (281) and Whitefield (276).
Is there a moose season in WMD 22?
No. MDIFW's 2026 moose seasons do not include WMD 22.
When is deer season in WMD 22 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 22 (MDIFW 2026-27 Maine hunting seasons). In WMD 22 a big game license allows one deer of either sex in the firearms and muzzleloader seasons.
How much public land is in WMD 22?
9,288 acres, 2.3% of the district, by PAD-US 4.1. MDIFW's wildlife management areas here: Merrymeeting Bay (3,904 acres), Steve Powell (Swan Island) (1,481 acres), Jamies (Jimmie) Pond (886 acres) and Earle R. Kelly (Dresden Bog) (863 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.