Maine WMD 27: deer, moose and bear hunting, harvest and public land
Maine's Wildlife Management District 27 covers 2,167 square miles. Hunters registered 1,167 deer, 2 moose, 53 bears and 125 turkeys in its towns in 2025, adding up MDIFW's town figures. 3.7% of the district is public land, the largest share national wildlife refuge (24,164 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 landWMD 27Neighboring WMDsHighway
| Size | 2,167 square miles (MDIFW) |
|---|---|
| Public land | 3.7% (50,942 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Cobscook Bay WMA, Pleasant Bay WMA, Jonesboro WMA, Great Works WMA |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 1,167 |
| Moose registered, 2025 | 2 |
| Bears registered, 2025 | 53 |
| Turkeys registered, 2025 | 73 spring, 52 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 27?
1,167 deer were registered in WMD 27's towns in 2025, against 1,050 in 2024. The last 15 years:
| Year | Deer | Moose | Bears | Spring turkeys | Fall turkeys |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,167 | 2 | 53 | 73 | 52 |
| 2024 | 1,050 | 5 | 60 | 107 | 49 |
| 2023 | 914 | 3 | 48 | 100 | 25 |
| 2022 | 902 | 6 | 75 | 98 | |
| 2021 | 820 | 5 | 83 | 92 | |
| 2020 | 750 | 8 | 83 | 54 | |
| 2019 | 708 | 7 | 46 | 60 | 32 |
| 2018 | 575 | 6 | 52 | 66 | 49 |
| 2017 | 639 | 5 | 68 | 43 | 51 |
| 2016 | 467 | 5 | 65 | 52 | 0 |
| 2015 | 402 | 2 | 40 | 45 | 3 |
| 2014 | 452 | 3 | 51 | 43 | 2 |
| 2013 | 470 | 6 | 48 | 39 | 1 |
| 2012 | 376 | 7 | 77 | 5 | 0 |
| 2011 | 323 | 5 | 69 | 8 | 0 |
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 27 have the most deer registered?
| Town | Deer, 2025 | Bears, 2025 | Moose, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrington | 125 | 0 | 0 |
| Addison | 124 | 5 | 0 |
| Milbridge | 102 | 1 | 0 |
| Steuben | 93 | 3 | 1 |
| Lubec | 76 | 1 | 0 |
| Machiasport | 69 | 0 | 0 |
| Gouldsboro | 64 | 5 | 0 |
| Jonesport | 58 | 0 | 0 |
Source: MDIFW's figures by town.
The most moose in 2025: Robbinston (1) and Steuben (1).
When are the 2026-27 seasons in WMD 27?
| 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 27?
3.7% of WMD 27 is public land: 50,942 of its 1,387,517 acres. The largest share is national wildlife refuge, 24,164 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of WMD 27 |
|---|---|---|
| National wildlife refuge | 24,164 | 1.7% |
| State public lands and parks (BPL) | 14,834 | 1.1% |
| MDIFW land (WMAs) | 6,411 | 0.5% |
| National Park Service | 3,786 | 0.3% |
| Other state land | 1,747 | 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 27
| WMA | Acres in WMD 27 |
|---|---|
| Cobscook Bay WMA | 2,361 |
| Pleasant Bay WMA | 817 |
| Jonesboro WMA | 699 |
| Great Works WMA | 462 |
| Pennamaquan WMA | 318 |
| Orange River WMA | 285 |
| Mill River WMA | 31 |
Which districts border WMD 27?
| WMD | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Moose, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMD 19 | 5.3% | 357 | 31 | 180 |
| WMD 26 | 5.7% | 4,399 | 0 | 72 |
| WMD 28 | 7.9% | 762 | 12 | 190 |
| WMD 29 | 0.3% | 897 | 0 | 0 |
Highways crossing WMD 27: US 1 (111 miles), ME 191 (32 miles), ME 187 (23 miles), ME 186 (16 miles), ME 92 (12 miles) and ME 189 (11 miles). Towns inside: Calais and Eastport.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are taken in Maine WMD 27?
Hunters registered 1,167 deer in the towns of WMD 27 in 2025, adding up MDIFW's town figures; the five-year average to 2025 is 971 and the most since 2005 was 1,167 in 2025. The most came from Harrington (125), Addison (124) and Milbridge (102).
Is there a moose season in WMD 27?
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 2 moose in the district's towns in 2025.
When is deer season in WMD 27 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 27 (MDIFW 2026-27 Maine hunting seasons). An antlerless deer needs an antlerless permit.
How much public land is in WMD 27?
50,942 acres, 3.7% of the district, by PAD-US 4.1. MDIFW's wildlife management areas here: Cobscook Bay (2,361 acres), Pleasant Bay (817 acres), Jonesboro (699 acres) and Great Works (462 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.