Maine · Public Land · 2026 Edition
Maine Public Hunting Land 2026: WMAs & Access Rules
2 wildlife management areas tracked here, from 5,241 to 10,000 acres. A hunting license covers you on Maine WMA land the same as anywhere else in the state — but read the access rules below before you assume that's all you need.
01 — Wildlife management areas
| Area | County | Acres | Species |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gene Letourneau (Frye Mountain) Wildlife Management Area | Waldo | 5,241 | Deer, Grouse, Woodcock, Turkey |
| Merrymeeting Bay Wildlife Management Area | Sagadahoc, Lincoln | 10,000 | Waterfowl, Deer |
Frye Mountain, in the hills west of Belfast, is a deer- and grouse-management area built out of reverting farmland and old orchards — MDIFW runs grouse population studies here. Merrymeeting Bay, where six tidal rivers converge to form Maine's largest freshwater tidal bay, is one of the state's best-known waterfowl destinations — black ducks, mallards, and teal over tidal marsh and mudflat. This list is a starting point, not MDIFW's full inventory of more than 69 wildlife management areas statewide.
02 — Access rules beyond your hunting license
MDIFW owns more than 69 Wildlife Management Areas covering roughly 100,000+ acres, and a standard Maine hunting license covers hunting on all but one of them — Steve Powell WMA (Swan Island) is closed to hunting, and portions of Steep Falls and Killick Pond WMAs carry their own restrictions. No lottery, quota, or separate WMA permit exists anywhere else in the system. The one piece of paperwork that does apply statewide: a removable stand or blind left up for more than one day needs a permit and must be labeled with the hunter's name and address, and hunting or trapping over bait requires a permit from the Regional Wildlife Biologist.
03 — Where to go next
Verified · Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife · Last verified 2026-08-13
Publisher's note. WMA list and access rules read from MDIFW, retrieved 2026-08-13. Review due 2027-08-01. This is a starting list, not the agency's full WMA inventory — confirm current rules for a specific area before you hunt it.