Maine WMD 3: deer, moose and bear hunting, harvest and public land
Maine's Wildlife Management District 3 covers 1,011 square miles. Hunters registered 373 deer, 204 moose, 192 bears and 103 turkeys in its towns in 2025, adding up MDIFW's town figures. 6.3% of the district is public land, the largest share state public lands and parks (BPL) (35,595 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 refugeWMD 3Neighboring WMDsHighway
| Size | 1,011 square miles (MDIFW) |
|---|---|
| Public land | 6.3% (40,550 acres) |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 373 |
| Moose registered, 2025 | 204 |
| Bears registered, 2025 | 192 |
| Turkeys registered, 2025 | 63 spring, 40 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); October 26 to 31 (antlerless only) |
How many deer, moose and bears are taken in WMD 3?
373 deer were registered in WMD 3's towns in 2025, against 321 in 2024. The last 15 years:
| Year | Deer | Moose | Bears | Spring turkeys | Fall turkeys |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 373 | 204 | 192 | 63 | 40 |
| 2024 | 321 | 219 | 233 | 47 | 2 |
| 2023 | 201 | 212 | 0 | 41 | 0 |
| 2022 | 187 | 214 | 198 | 27 | |
| 2021 | 168 | 234 | 189 | 32 | |
| 2020 | 91 | 238 | 166 | 15 | |
| 2019 | 82 | 182 | 127 | 14 | 0 |
| 2018 | 91 | 188 | 141 | 9 | 0 |
| 2017 | 163 | 149 | 156 | 9 | 0 |
| 2016 | 170 | 164 | 144 | 21 | 0 |
| 2015 | 132 | 226 | 173 | 8 | 2 |
| 2014 | 139 | 199 | 168 | 0 | 1 |
| 2013 | 204 | 385 | 154 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | 203 | 422 | 168 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 | 84 | 389 | 171 | 0 | 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 3 have the most deer registered?
| Town | Deer, 2025 | Bears, 2025 | Moose, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Van Buren | 49 | 13 | 30 |
| Woodland | 43 | 11 | 0 |
| Perham | 38 | 4 | 4 |
| Fort Kent | 34 | 3 | 2 |
| Madawaska | 22 | 5 | 5 |
| Connor Twp | 21 | 14 | 4 |
| New Sweden | 21 | 1 | 0 |
| Saint Agatha | 19 | 7 | 6 |
Source: MDIFW's figures by town.
The most moose in 2025: Van Buren (30), T15 R5 Wels (22), Cross Lake Twp (17), T14 R6 Wels (16) and T15 R6 Wels (15).
When are the 2026-27 seasons in WMD 3?
| 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 |
| Moose, bulls only (by permit) | September 28 to October 3 |
| Moose, bulls only (by permit) | October 12 to 17 |
| Moose, antlerless only (by permit) | October 26 to 31 |
| 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; 1 bird 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 3?
6.3% of WMD 3 is public land: 40,550 of its 647,337 acres. The largest share is state public lands and parks (BPL), 35,595 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of WMD 3 |
|---|---|---|
| State public lands and parks (BPL) | 35,595 | 5.5% |
| National wildlife refuge | 4,952 | 0.8% |
| Military (closed unless the base allows) | 14 | under 0.1% |
| MDIFW land (WMAs) | 3 | 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.
Which districts border WMD 3?
Highways crossing WMD 3: US 1 (65 miles), ME 161 (44 miles), ME 11 (18 miles), ME 162 (17 miles), ME 89 (8 miles) and ME 165 (4 miles).
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are taken in Maine WMD 3?
Hunters registered 373 deer in the towns of WMD 3 in 2025, adding up MDIFW's town figures; the five-year average to 2025 is 250 and the most since 2005 was 373 in 2025. The most came from Van Buren (49), Woodland (43) and Perham (38).
Is there a moose season in WMD 3?
Yes, by permit only. In 2026: bulls only September 28 to October 3; bulls only October 12 to 17; antlerless only October 26 to 31 (MDIFW 2026-27 Maine hunting seasons). Hunters registered 204 moose in the district's towns in 2025.
When is deer season in WMD 3 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 (MDIFW 2026-27 Maine hunting seasons). An antlerless deer needs an antlerless permit.
How much public land is in WMD 3?
40,550 acres, 6.3% of the district, by PAD-US 4.1.
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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.