Maine WMD 23: deer, moose and bear hunting, harvest and public land
Maine's Wildlife Management District 23 covers 934 square miles. Hunters registered 5,108 deer, 0 moose, 7 bears and 967 turkeys in its towns in 2025, adding up MDIFW's town figures. 2.7% of the district is public land, the largest share MDIFW land (WMAs) (14,657 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 refugeOther state landWMD 23Neighboring WMDsHighway
| Size | 934 square miles (MDIFW) |
|---|---|
| Public land | 2.7% (16,040 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Gene Letourneau (Frye Mountain) WMA, Alonzo H. Garcelon WMA, Plymouth Bog WMA, James Dorso (Ruffingham Meadow) WMA |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 5,108 |
| Moose registered, 2025 | 0 |
| Bears registered, 2025 | 7 |
| Turkeys registered, 2025 | 641 spring, 326 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 23?
5,108 deer were registered in WMD 23's towns in 2025, against 3,881 in 2024. The last 15 years:
| Year | Deer | Moose | Bears | Spring turkeys | Fall turkeys |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5,108 | 0 | 7 | 641 | 326 |
| 2024 | 3,881 | 0 | 10 | 639 | 229 |
| 2023 | 4,012 | 0 | 7 | 675 | 79 |
| 2022 | 4,657 | 0 | 2 | 694 | |
| 2021 | 4,540 | 0 | 4 | 580 | |
| 2020 | 3,609 | 0 | 3 | 339 | |
| 2019 | 2,830 | 0 | 1 | 724 | 251 |
| 2018 | 3,081 | 0 | 1 | 714 | 404 |
| 2017 | 2,581 | 2 | 1 | 478 | 142 |
| 2016 | 1,996 | 2 | 5 | 545 | 224 |
| 2015 | 1,816 | 3 | 3 | 496 | 256 |
| 2014 | 1,950 | 8 | 3 | 614 | 185 |
| 2013 | 2,130 | 4 | 2 | 682 | 195 |
| 2012 | 1,810 | 7 | 6 | 605 | 122 |
| 2011 | 1,656 | 2 | 4 | 518 | 77 |
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 23 have the most deer registered?
| Town | Deer, 2025 | Bears, 2025 | Moose, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vassalboro | 372 | 1 | 0 |
| Winslow | 330 | 0 | 0 |
| China | 319 | 0 | 0 |
| Albion | 263 | 0 | 0 |
| Augusta | 254 | 0 | 0 |
| Monroe | 250 | 0 | 0 |
| Dixmont | 225 | 0 | 0 |
| Windsor | 219 | 0 | 0 |
Source: MDIFW's figures by town.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in WMD 23?
| 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 23?
2.7% of WMD 23 is public land: 16,040 of its 597,988 acres. The largest share is MDIFW land (WMAs), 14,657 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of WMD 23 |
|---|---|---|
| MDIFW land (WMAs) | 14,657 | 2.5% |
| National wildlife refuge | 1,034 | 0.2% |
| State public lands and parks (BPL) | 349 | 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 23
| WMA | Acres in WMD 23 |
|---|---|
| Gene Letourneau (Frye Mountain) WMA | 5,245 |
| Alonzo H. Garcelon WMA | 4,883 |
| Plymouth Bog WMA | 2,810 |
| James Dorso (Ruffingham Meadow) WMA | 649 |
| Hurds Pond WMA | 244 |
Which districts border WMD 23?
| WMD | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Moose, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMD 16 | 2.4% | 4,395 | 0 | 14 |
| WMD 17 | 1.2% | 8,025 | 3 | 64 |
| WMD 22 | 2.3% | 4,134 | 0 | 0 |
| WMD 25 | 1.9% | 3,853 | 0 | 2 |
| WMD 26 | 5.7% | 4,399 | 0 | 72 |
| WMD 29 | 0.3% | 897 | 0 | 0 |
Highways crossing WMD 23: I-95 (104 miles), US 202 (57 miles), ME 9 (54 miles), ME 100 (52 miles), ME 137 (42 miles) and ME 11 (38 miles). Towns inside: Augusta, Belfast and Waterville.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are taken in Maine WMD 23?
Hunters registered 5,108 deer in the towns of WMD 23 in 2025, adding up MDIFW's town figures; the five-year average to 2025 is 4,440 and the most since 2005 was 5,108 in 2025. The most came from Vassalboro (372), Winslow (330) and China (319).
Is there a moose season in WMD 23?
No. MDIFW's 2026 moose seasons do not include WMD 23.
When is deer season in WMD 23 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 23 (MDIFW 2026-27 Maine hunting seasons). In WMD 23 a big game license allows one deer of either sex in the firearms and muzzleloader seasons.
How much public land is in WMD 23?
16,040 acres, 2.7% of the district, by PAD-US 4.1. MDIFW's wildlife management areas here: Gene Letourneau (Frye Mountain) (5,245 acres), Alonzo H. Garcelon (4,883 acres), Plymouth Bog (2,810 acres) and James Dorso (Ruffingham Meadow) (649 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.