WMD 12, Maine
Unit info
- Game species
- Deer, Moose, Turkey, Bear
- Group
- WMDs 10–19
- Area
- 1,015 mi²
- Public land
- N/A
Moose — season & harvest
- Reported harvest
- 22
Draw odds for Moosearen't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.
Black Bear — season & harvest
- Reported harvest
- 235
Draw odds for Black Beararen't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.
White-tailed Deer — season & harvest
- Reported harvest
- 1,149
Draw odds for White-tailed Deeraren't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.
Season & harvest data is published for Moose, Black Bear, White-tailed Deer so far. Deer, Turkey, Bear also occur here — that data can be added as the community contributes.
About this unit
AI-compiled · sourcedMaine WMD 12 covers midcoast interior Penobscot and Hancock counties, offering mixed-forest hunting for whitetail deer, black bear, moose (lottery permit zone), and fall turkey. The district features a solid deer population with moderate hunting pressure, legal bear baiting through late September, and meaningful moose permit opportunities — hunters drawn for WMD 12 may also hunt in neighboring WMD 15. An extended muzzleloader season through mid-December provides additional late-season deer opportunity.
Mixed hardwood and spruce-fir forest typical of midcoast interior Maine; rolling terrain in Penobscot and Hancock counties with river drainages, wetlands, alder swales, and regenerating clearcuts that provide excellent edge habitat for deer and bear. Elevations modest compared to western Maine but remote back-country pockets exist.
Moderate — less crowded than southern Maine WMDs but more accessible than far northern districts; archery pressure light to moderate, firearms season sees increased activity near road-accessible public parcels.
Any-deer (antlerless) permits available by lottery for WMD 12; applications open June-August online through MDIFW ($12 permit fee). Remaining permits sold over-the-counter if any go unclaimed. Expanded archery hunters may take antlerless deer with appropriate permit. Only antlered deer (3-inch minimum antler) legal without a permit.
DEER: Archery Sept 6 - Dec 13 (expanded) / Oct 4 - Oct 31 (regular); Firearms Nov 3-29; Muzzleloader Dec 1-6 statewide plus extended Dec 8-13 in WMD 12. Antlerless permit by lottery. MOOSE: Lottery permit zone (WMD 12/15 paired); October bull and antlerless seasons; proposed September bull season. BEAR: Season opens early September, bait hunting closes ~Sept 26, hounds and trapping also legal; 2-bear annual statewide limit (1 by hunting, 1 by trapping); no WMD-specific bear permit required. TURKEY: Spring and fall seasons available in midcoast WMDs; specific bag limits and dates vary — check MDIFW season dates annually.
Legal bear baiting through late September with high success rates statewide; extended muzzleloader season in WMD 12 runs through December 13; moose permit zone with paired WMD 12/15 flexibility; spring and fall turkey seasons; relatively accessible midcoast location with good road network compared to far northern WMDs.
Questions, tips & discussion
Ask anything about WMD 12— or drop a tip or trick: access points, where game holds, glassing spots, conditions, crowding, gear that worked. This is where the unit's species-specific intel gets built, hunter by hunter.
Nothing posted yet about WMD 12.
Be the first — ask a question (“Best public access on the north end?”) or share a tip (“Glass the burn scars off the main ridge at first light”).
Boundaries: MDIFW official Wildlife Management Districts. Community info last updated 23d ago.