Vermont WMU E2: deer harvest, legal bucks, seasons and public land
Vermont's Wildlife Management Unit E2 covers 343 square miles of Essex and Caledonia counties. Hunters took 197 deer there in 2025, 156 bucks and 41 antlerless, against a five-year average of 159. A legal buck in WMU E2 needs at least one antler 3 inches or longer. 27% of the unit is public land, the largest share Fish and Wildlife land (30,426 acres).
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: VFWD's 2025 harvest reports. Seasons: VFWD 2026 Vermont White-tailed Deer Seasons. Land: ANR and PAD-US.
Fish and Wildlife landNational forestState forestState parkNational wildlife refugeWMU E2Neighboring WMUsHighway
| Size | 343 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 27% (59,302 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | West Mountain WMA, Victory Basin WMA, Wenlock WMA |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 197 (156 bucks, 41 antlerless) |
| Deer taken per square mile, 2025 | 0.59 (bucks 0.47) |
| Legal buck, 2026 | At least one antler 3 inches or longer |
| Muzzleloader antlerless permits, 2025 | None issued for this WMU |
| Bears taken, 2025 | 44 (20 male, 24 female) |
| Moose, 2025 | 34 taken on 79 permits |
| Fall turkey, 2026 | Bow and arrow only, October 1 to November 13 |
How many deer are taken in WMU E2 each year?
197 deer in 2025, the most of the five years below. Bucks made up 79.2% of the 2025 harvest.
| Year | Bucks | Antlerless | Total deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 156 | 41 | 197 |
| 2024 | 122 | 46 | 168 |
| 2023 | 124 | 26 | 150 |
| 2022 | 130 | 30 | 160 |
| 2021 | 106 | 13 | 119 |
Sources: VFWD 2025 deer harvest report; VFWD 2024 deer harvest report; VFWD 2023 deer harvest report; VFWD 2022 deer harvest report; VFWD 2021 deer harvest report. Each year's WMU rows add up to the report's statewide total.
What made up the antlerless harvest?
| Year | Adult does | Male fawns | Female fawns | Does per 100 bucks | Bucks per square mile | Deer per square mile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 31 | 6 | 4 | 20 | 0.47 | 0.59 |
| 2024 | 35 | 6 | 5 | 29 | 0.37 | 0.5 |
Source: VFWD 2025 deer harvest report; VFWD 2024 deer harvest report. "Per square mile" is deer taken, not deer living there.
Which towns in WMU E2 had the most deer taken?
| Town | County | Deer, 2025 | Per square mile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lunenburg | Essex | 61 | 1.36 |
| Kirby | Caledonia | 50 | 2 |
| Brighton | Essex | 44 | 0.83 |
| Guildhall | Essex | 25 | 0.76 |
| Maidstone | Essex | 19 | 0.61 |
| East Haven | Essex | 17 | 0.46 |
| Brunswick | Essex | 15 | 0.6 |
| Granby | Essex | 15 | 0.38 |
Source: VFWD 2025 deer harvest report, deer by town. Each town is listed under the WMU that holds its centre, so a town on a WMU line counts wholly on one side.
When are the 2026 seasons in WMU E2?
| Season | Dates, 2026 | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Deer, archery | October 1 to December 15 | One legal buck; an antlerless deer may be taken on an archery tag anywhere in the state this year |
| Deer, October muzzleloader | October 29 to November 1 | Antlerless only, with an antlerless permit for the WMU |
| Deer, youth and novice weekend | November 7 to 8 | One deer of either sex, no antler restriction |
| Deer, regular (16 days) | November 14 to 29 | One legal buck; antlerless with a permit (new for 2026) |
| Deer, December muzzleloader | November 30 to December 13 | One legal buck; antlerless with a permit |
| Bear, early season | September 1 to November 13 | |
| Bear, late season | November 14 to 22 | |
| Turkey, spring | May 1 to 31 (youth and novice April 25 to 26) | |
| Turkey, fall | Bow and arrow only, October 1 to November 13 |
A legal buck in WMU E2 has at least one antler 3 inches or longer. The yearly limit is four deer, only one a legal buck, with VFWD's exceptions for youth and novice hunters and for a second buck tag.
Sources: VFWD 2026 Vermont White-tailed Deer Seasons; VFWD 2026 Vermont Hunting and Trapping Seasons.
How many bears are taken in WMU E2?
44 in 2025: 20 male and 24 female, 4.3% of Vermont's 1,022. The 2026 early season runs September 1 to November 13 and the late season November 14 to 22.
Source: VFWD 2025 Black Bear Harvest Report.
How is moose hunted in WMU E2?
By lottery permit. In 2025 VFWD issued 79 permits for WMU E2 and hunters took 34 moose:
| Season | Permit | Permits | Bulls | Cows | Moose taken | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | Either-sex | 10 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 60% |
| Regular | Either-sex | 25 | 10 | 3 | 13 | 52% |
| Regular | Antlerless-only | 44 | 0 | 12 | 15 | 34% |
Source: VFWD 2025 Moose Harvest Report. The 2025 archery season ran October 1 to 7 and the regular season October 18 to 23; VFWD posts the 2026 dates on its website.
How much public land is in WMU E2?
27% of WMU E2 is public land: 59,302 of its 219,587 acres. The largest share is Fish and Wildlife land, 30,426 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of WMU E2 |
|---|---|---|
| Fish and Wildlife land | 30,426 | 13.9% |
| State forest | 24,410 | 11.1% |
| State park | 2,570 | 1.2% |
| National forest | 1,696 | 0.8% |
| National wildlife refuge | 200 | 0.1% |
Measured by FilledTag inside the WMU line from Vermont ANR land units (state forests, parks and Fish and Wildlife land) for state land; USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US 4.1) for federal land. Much of Vermont's private land is open to hunting unless it is posted; this table counts only public ownership.
Wildlife management areas in WMU E2
| WMA | Acres in WMU E2 |
|---|---|
| West Mountain WMA | 22,735 |
| Victory Basin WMA | 5,454 |
| Wenlock WMA | 2,213 |
Which WMUs border WMU E2?
| WMU | Legal buck | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Bucks, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMU D1 | two points on one antler | 3.3% | 1,742 | 979 | 120 |
| WMU D2 | one antler of 3 inches | 9.1% | 846 | 481 | 74 |
| WMU E1 | one antler of 3 inches | 31.1% | 196 | 158 | 14 |
| WMU J2 | two points on one antler | 2.7% | 1,462 | 742 | 135 |
Highways crossing WMU E2: VT 102 (23 miles), US 2 (11 miles), VT 105 (7 miles) and VT 114 (6 miles).
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are taken in Vermont WMU E2?
197 in 2025: 156 bucks and 41 antlerless deer (VFWD 2025 deer harvest report). That is up from 168 in 2024; from 2021 to 2025 the unit averaged 159 a year. VFWD puts the 2025 harvest at 0.59 deer and 0.47 bucks per square mile.
What is a legal buck in WMU E2?
In 2026 a legal buck in WMU E2 is any deer with at least one antler 3 inches or longer (VFWD 2026 Vermont White-tailed Deer Seasons). Youth and novice hunters may take a deer of either sex with no antler restriction on November 7 and 8.
Can you get an antlerless deer permit for WMU E2?
VFWD issued no muzzleloader antlerless permits for WMU E2 in 2025. An antlerless deer may still be taken on an archery tag anywhere in the state in 2026.
How many bears are taken in WMU E2?
44 in 2025, 20 male and 24 female, out of 1,022 statewide (VFWD 2025 Black Bear Harvest Report). The 2026 early bear season runs September 1 to November 13 and the late season November 14 to 22.
Is there a moose season in WMU E2?
Yes, by lottery permit. In 2025 VFWD issued 79 permits for WMU E2 and hunters took 34 moose (VFWD 2025 Moose Harvest Report); the 2025 archery season ran October 1 to 7 and the regular season October 18 to 23. VFWD posts the 2026 moose dates and permit numbers on its website.
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Where these numbers come from
- Harvest: VFWD 2025 White-tailed Deer Harvest Report; VFWD 2025 Black Bear Harvest Report; VFWD 2025 Moose Harvest Report; earlier years from VFWD's deer harvest reports.
- Seasons and legal buck: VFWD 2026 Vermont White-tailed Deer Seasons; VFWD 2026 Vermont Hunting and Trapping Seasons.
- WMU boundary: Vermont ANR Wildlife Management Units. Public land: Vermont ANR land units (state forests, parks and Fish and Wildlife land) for state land; USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US 4.1) for federal land.
- Highways and villages: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places.
FilledTag is not part of the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department. Numbers are copied from VFWD, ANR and federal sources or measured from their maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.