WMU A, Vermont

Northeastern Vermont's Essex County — remote, heavily forested boreal and mixed hardwood-softwood landscape characterized by rolling hills, dense spruce-fir thickets, alder swamps, beaver flowages, and scattered ridge tops. Elevation ranges from river valleys around 800 ft to ridges near 2,800 ft. Cold winters keep deer densities lower than southern Vermont but support moose and bear. The Northeast Kingdom's isolation means thick regenerating clear-cuts and mature forest provide diverse habitat edges.

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Antlerless permits are allocated annually via lottery — WMU A historically receives limited antlerless permits due to lower deer densities in the northern boreal zone compared to Champlain Valley units. For 2026, antlerless permits may be used during archery season, muzzleloader season, OR the regular November rifle season (new rule effective 2026). Hunters may hold up to two antlerless permits simultaneously if from different WMUs. Legal buck requires at least one antler with two or more points at least one inch long. Total bag limit is four deer per calendar year (only one legal buck).

DEER: Archery Oct 1 through Nov 14, closed during rifle, reopens Dec 1-15. Youth/Novice weekend late October. Regular rifle season 16 days starting ~Nov 8 (12 days before Thanksgiving). December muzzleloader 14 days after rifle season. Antlerless permits limited in WMU A — check annual VTFWD allocation. BEAR: One bear per year. Early season Sept 1 through day before rifle deer opener; late season tag from rifle deer opener through second Sunday of that month. Hound hunting permitted with bear-dog permit (max 6 dogs). Baiting is prohibited. TURKEY: Spring season — youth/novice weekend late April, regular season May 1-31, statewide. Fall archery Oct 1 through Nov 13 statewide; WMU A not listed among WMUs open to fall shotgun turkey phase. MOOSE: WMU A is within the moose range but the lottery moose hunt is managed under WMU E (Essex County). 2026 allocation: 85 total permits (65 either-sex, 20 antlerless) for WMU E. Lottery applications $10 resident/$25 nonresident. Moose are regularly encountered by deer and bear hunters throughout WMU A.

Some of the most remote, low-pressure hunting in Vermont. Exceptional moose encounter opportunities — roughly half of Vermont's moose population resides in Essex County. Quality black bear hunting with hound hunting permitted. Large contiguous blocks of publicly accessible land with minimal road access forcing hunters to commit to backcountry. Spring turkey season statewide open including WMU A. Fall turkey archery opens October 1 statewide; WMU A is archery-only for the shotgun phase (not listed among WMUs open to fall shotgun turkey).