Maine WMD 28: deer, moose and bear hunting, harvest and public land
Maine's Wildlife Management District 28 covers 1,164 square miles. Hunters registered 762 deer, 12 moose, 190 bears and 199 turkeys in its towns in 2025, adding up MDIFW's town figures. 7.9% of the district is public land, the largest share state public lands and parks (BPL) (35,003 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 28Neighboring WMDsHighway
| Size | 1,164 square miles (MDIFW) |
|---|---|
| Public land | 7.9% (58,734 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Narraguagus WMA, Bog Brook WMA, Lyle Frost (Scammon Marsh) WMA |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 762 |
| Moose registered, 2025 | 12 |
| Bears registered, 2025 | 190 |
| Turkeys registered, 2025 | 70 spring, 129 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 28?
762 deer were registered in WMD 28's towns in 2025, against 715 in 2024. The last 15 years:
| Year | Deer | Moose | Bears | Spring turkeys | Fall turkeys |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 762 | 12 | 190 | 70 | 129 |
| 2024 | 715 | 13 | 172 | 78 | 70 |
| 2023 | 545 | 14 | 128 | 91 | 21 |
| 2022 | 519 | 15 | 205 | 82 | |
| 2021 | 462 | 20 | 237 | 58 | |
| 2020 | 464 | 13 | 257 | 108 | |
| 2019 | 431 | 12 | 110 | 80 | 59 |
| 2018 | 344 | 9 | 212 | 47 | 107 |
| 2017 | 366 | 10 | 185 | 47 | 62 |
| 2016 | 284 | 14 | 165 | 62 | 62 |
| 2015 | 236 | 11 | 172 | 46 | 33 |
| 2014 | 291 | 4 | 208 | 65 | 73 |
| 2013 | 284 | 17 | 229 | 82 | 57 |
| 2012 | 238 | 14 | 236 | 77 | 1 |
| 2011 | 197 | 17 | 169 | 80 | 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 28 have the most deer registered?
| Town | Deer, 2025 | Bears, 2025 | Moose, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cherryfield | 135 | 7 | 0 |
| Columbia | 82 | 6 | 0 |
| East Machias | 68 | 3 | 0 |
| Franklin | 53 | 6 | 0 |
| Columbia Falls | 41 | 1 | 0 |
| Deblois | 38 | 22 | 0 |
| Marshfield | 33 | 1 | 0 |
| Clifton | 29 | 8 | 1 |
Source: MDIFW's figures by town.
The most moose in 2025: T24 Md Bpp (2), Wesley (2), Alexander (1), Baring Plt (1) and Beddington (1).
When are the 2026-27 seasons in WMD 28?
| 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 28?
7.9% of WMD 28 is public land: 58,734 of its 745,309 acres. The largest share is state public lands and parks (BPL), 35,003 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of WMD 28 |
|---|---|---|
| State public lands and parks (BPL) | 35,003 | 4.7% |
| National wildlife refuge | 13,482 | 1.8% |
| MDIFW land (WMAs) | 5,132 | 0.7% |
| Other state land | 5,117 | 0.7% |
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 28
| WMA | Acres in WMD 28 |
|---|---|
| Narraguagus WMA | 1,767 |
| Bog Brook WMA | 1,603 |
| Lyle Frost (Scammon Marsh) WMA | 1,422 |
Which districts border WMD 28?
| WMD | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Moose, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMD 18 | 3.3% | 1,045 | 17 | 173 |
| WMD 19 | 5.3% | 357 | 31 | 180 |
| WMD 26 | 5.7% | 4,399 | 0 | 72 |
| WMD 27 | 3.7% | 1,167 | 2 | 53 |
Highways crossing WMD 28: ME 9 (44 miles), ME 191 (29 miles), ME 179 (21 miles), ME 192 (20 miles), ME 193 (18 miles) and ME 182 (16 miles).
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are taken in Maine WMD 28?
Hunters registered 762 deer in the towns of WMD 28 in 2025, adding up MDIFW's town figures; the five-year average to 2025 is 601 and the most since 2005 was 762 in 2025. The most came from Cherryfield (135), Columbia (82) and East Machias (68).
Is there a moose season in WMD 28?
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 12 moose in the district's towns in 2025.
When is deer season in WMD 28 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 28 (MDIFW 2026-27 Maine hunting seasons). An antlerless deer needs an antlerless permit.
How much public land is in WMD 28?
58,734 acres, 7.9% of the district, by PAD-US 4.1. MDIFW's wildlife management areas here: Narraguagus (1,767 acres), Bog Brook (1,603 acres) and Lyle Frost (Scammon Marsh) (1,422 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.