Maine WMD 26: deer, moose and bear hunting, harvest and public land
Maine's Wildlife Management District 26 covers 1,081 square miles. Hunters registered 4,399 deer, 0 moose, 72 bears and 603 turkeys in its towns in 2025, adding up MDIFW's town figures. 5.7% of the district is public land, the largest share National Park Service (30,520 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 26Neighboring WMDsHighway
| Size | 1,081 square miles (MDIFW) |
|---|---|
| Public land | 5.7% (40,939 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Caribou Bog WMA, Howard Mendall WMA, Sandy Point WMA, Spring Brook WMA |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 4,399 |
| Moose registered, 2025 | 0 |
| Bears registered, 2025 | 72 |
| Turkeys registered, 2025 | 352 spring, 251 fall |
| Deer firearms season, 2026 | November 2 to 28 (residents only day October 31) |
| Moose seasons, 2026 | None |
How many deer, moose and bears are taken in WMD 26?
4,399 deer were registered in WMD 26's towns in 2025, against 3,082 in 2024. The last 15 years:
| Year | Deer | Moose | Bears | Spring turkeys | Fall turkeys |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4,399 | 0 | 72 | 352 | 251 |
| 2024 | 3,082 | 0 | 74 | 385 | 166 |
| 2023 | 2,582 | 0 | 16 | 372 | 29 |
| 2022 | 2,940 | 0 | 61 | 419 | |
| 2021 | 2,578 | 0 | 53 | 324 | |
| 2020 | 2,114 | 0 | 78 | 300 | |
| 2019 | 1,902 | 0 | 43 | 456 | 161 |
| 2018 | 1,754 | 1 | 68 | 461 | 154 |
| 2017 | 1,734 | 0 | 54 | 354 | 84 |
| 2016 | 1,487 | 0 | 50 | 382 | 164 |
| 2015 | 1,506 | 0 | 71 | 290 | 116 |
| 2014 | 1,432 | 1 | 68 | 329 | 140 |
| 2013 | 1,482 | 3 | 83 | 424 | 102 |
| 2012 | 1,433 | 3 | 64 | 382 | 61 |
| 2011 | 1,288 | 7 | 48 | 376 | 15 |
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 26 have the most deer registered?
| Town | Deer, 2025 | Bears, 2025 | Moose, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bucksport | 406 | 3 | 0 |
| Orrington | 348 | 2 | 0 |
| Orland | 287 | 3 | 0 |
| Deer Isle | 238 | 0 | 0 |
| Penobscot | 232 | 8 | 0 |
| Blue Hill | 213 | 4 | 0 |
| Holden | 185 | 2 | 0 |
| Winterport | 178 | 1 | 0 |
Source: MDIFW's figures by town.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in WMD 26?
| 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 26?
5.7% of WMD 26 is public land: 40,939 of its 714,088 acres. The largest share is National Park Service, 30,520 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of WMD 26 |
|---|---|---|
| National Park Service | 30,520 | 4.3% |
| MDIFW land (WMAs) | 4,043 | 0.6% |
| State public lands and parks (BPL) | 3,673 | 0.5% |
| Other state land | 2,437 | 0.3% |
| Military (closed unless the base allows) | 478 | 0.1% |
| National wildlife refuge | 266 | 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 26
| WMA | Acres in WMD 26 |
|---|---|
| Caribou Bog WMA | 1,963 |
| Howard Mendall WMA | 669 |
| Sandy Point WMA | 564 |
| Spring Brook WMA | 348 |
| Egypt Bay WMA | 111 |
Which districts border WMD 26?
| WMD | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Moose, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMD 17 | 1.2% | 8,025 | 3 | 64 |
| WMD 18 | 3.3% | 1,045 | 17 | 173 |
| WMD 23 | 2.7% | 5,108 | 0 | 7 |
| WMD 27 | 3.7% | 1,167 | 2 | 53 |
| WMD 28 | 7.9% | 762 | 12 | 190 |
| WMD 29 | 0.3% | 897 | 0 | 0 |
Highways crossing WMD 26: ME 3 (75 miles), ME 15 (74 miles), US 1 (48 miles), ME 175 (46 miles), I-95 (45 miles) and ME 176 (38 miles). Towns inside: Ellsworth, Old Town, Bangor and Brewer.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are taken in Maine WMD 26?
Hunters registered 4,399 deer in the towns of WMD 26 in 2025, adding up MDIFW's town figures; the five-year average to 2025 is 3,116 and the most since 2005 was 4,399 in 2025. The most came from Bucksport (406), Orrington (348) and Orland (287).
Is there a moose season in WMD 26?
No. MDIFW's 2026 moose seasons do not include WMD 26.
When is deer season in WMD 26 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 26 (MDIFW 2026-27 Maine hunting seasons). An antlerless deer needs an antlerless permit.
How much public land is in WMD 26?
40,939 acres, 5.7% of the district, by PAD-US 4.1. MDIFW's wildlife management areas here: Caribou Bog (1,963 acres), Howard Mendall (669 acres), Sandy Point (564 acres) and Spring Brook (348 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.