Maine's northern hardwoods rely on red oak (limited southern range) and beechnut mast — beech is more widespread in Maine than oak and historically a key fall food, though beech bark disease has reduced production in many areas.
Categorical ratings (failure → excellent) per year. Overall is solid; white oak and red oak series are dashed.
| Year | Overall | White Oak | Red Oak |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | fair | fair | fair |
| 2023 | fair | fair | fair |
| 2024 | fair | fair | fair |
| 2025 | good | good | good |
Most recent first. Click through to a year-specific page for a permanent reference link.
Preliminary reports show improved southern oak production.
Mast is plentiful enough to pull deer off plots and ag fields. Find the productive oaks and set up tight; expect deer to be less predictable on traditional stand sites built for travel routes.
Beech production limited; oak average in southern range.
Mixed conditions — some areas with productive oaks, others without. Scout for the pockets that produced and hunt the travel routes between bedding and mast. Plots and ag fields still hold deer where mast failed.
Northeast mast variability.
Mixed conditions — some areas with productive oaks, others without. Scout for the pockets that produced and hunt the travel routes between bedding and mast. Plots and ag fields still hold deer where mast failed.
Beech-disease-influenced production; oak limited to southern counties.
Mixed conditions — some areas with productive oaks, others without. Scout for the pockets that produced and hunt the travel routes between bedding and mast. Plots and ag fields still hold deer where mast failed.
Locate specific white oak flats with active drop, hunt tight to the trees, and expect deer to be less predictable on traditional travel-corridor stand sites. With food everywhere, generic stand placement loses to oak-specific scouting.
Maine Forest Service.
Maine Forest ServiceAlways cross-reference with the most current published agency report. Mast surveys update annually in late summer to early fall.
Statewide mast reports tell you what to expect in general. Bield: Hunt logs every productive oak you find on your specific land — and turns multi-season data into stand sites that compound year after year.
