South Carolina Code of Regulations
Chapter 123 - DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Article 3 - WILDLIFE AND FRESH WATER FISHERIES DIVISION-HUNTING REGULATIONS
Subarticle 3 - OTHER BIG GAME
Section 123-51 - Turkey Hunting Rules and Seasons
Universal Citation: SC Code Regs 123-51
Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 3, March 22, 2024
1. Total limit of 3 turkeys statewide per person for resident hunters and 2 turkeys statewide per person for nonresident hunters, 1 per day, gobblers (male turkeys) only, unless otherwise specified. Total statewide limit includes turkeys harvested on Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs). Small unnamed WMAs in counties indicated are open for turkey hunting. Turkey seasons and bag limits for Wildlife Management Area lands are as follows:
A.
Game Zone 1
1. Other WMAs
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 3 for residents and 2 for
nonresidents, no more than one may be taken April 1 - 10.
B.
Game Zone 2
1. Other WMAs
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 3 for residents and 2 for
nonresidents, no more than one may be taken April 1 - 10.
2. Keowee WMA
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 2, no more than one may be
taken April 1 - 10.
(c) Shotguns
only -north of Hwy 123 and west of the Keowee Arm of Lake Hartwell and west of
Hwy 291. Archery only on other sections.
3. Draper WMA
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 2, no more than one may be
taken April 1 - 10.
(c) Thurs
through Sat. only
4.
Belfast WMA
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 1
(c) Hunters by drawing only
5. Worth Mountain WMA
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 2, no more than one may be
taken April 1 - 10.
(c) Thurs
through Sat. only
6.
McCalla WMA
(a) April 1 - April 30
(b) Bag Limit 2, no more than one may be
taken April 1 - 10.
7.
Fants Grove WMA
(a) April 1 - April
30
(b) Bag Limit 2, no more than
one may be taken April 1 - 10.
8. Liberty Hill WMA
(a) April 1 - April 30
(b) Bag Limit 2, no more than one may be
taken April 1 - 10.
9.
Delta South WMA
(a) Apr. 1 - April
30
(b) Hunters by drawing
only
10. Forty Acre Rock
HP WMA
(a) April 1 - April 30
(b) Bag Limit 2, no more than one may be
taken April 1 - 10.
C.
Game Zone 3
1. Other WMAs
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 3 for residents and 2 for
nonresidents.
2.
Crackerneck WMA
(a) Apr. 1 - April
30
(b) Bag limit 2
(c) Fri. and Sat. only
(d) Sign in and out at the gate
required.
(e) Main gate opens at
4:30 am and closes at 1:00 pm.
3. Aiken Gopher Tortoise HP WMA
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 2
4. Francis Marion National Forest
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 2
(c) Tibwin Special Use Area
(1) Apr. 1 - April 30
(2) Bag limit 2
(3) Special hunts for youth or mobility
impaired hunters as published by SCDNR.
5. Moultrie
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 2
(c) Thurs through Sat. only
(d) Bluefield WMA
(1) Apr. 1 - April 30
(2) Bag limit 2
(3) Adult/Youth only
(e) Hall WMA
(1) Apr. 1 - April 30
(2) Bag limit 2
6. Santee Cooper WMA
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 1
(c) Hunting by public draw only
7. Webb, Palachucola and Hamilton
Ridge WMAs
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 2
(c) All hunters must pick up and return data
cards at kiosk and display hangtags on vehicles.
8. Donnelley WMA
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 1
(c) Hunting by public draw only
9. Bonneau Ferry WMA
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 1
(c) Hunting by public draw only
(d) Closed to public access during
hunts.
10. Santee
Coastal Reserve WMA
(a) Saturdays only from
April 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit
1
11. Edisto River WMA
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 2
(c) Thurs through Sat. only
12. Tillman Sand Ridge Heritage
Preserve WMA
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 2
(c) Thurs through Sat. only
13. Victoria Bluff Heritage
Preserve WMA
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 2
(c) Thurs through Sat. only
14. Botany Bay Plantation WMA
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 1
(c) Youth hunting by draw only.
15. Wateree River HP WMA
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 1
(c) Hunting by public draw only
D.
Game Zone
4
1. Other WMAs
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 3 for residents and 2 for
nonresidents.
2. Marsh
WMA
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 2
(c) Thurs through Sat. only
(d) Sign in and out at the kiosk
required.
3. Sand Hills
State Forest WMA
(a) Apr. 1 - April
30
(b) Bag limit 2
4. McBee WMA
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 2
(c) Thurs through Sat. only
5. Little Pee Dee Complex WMA
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 2
(c) Thurs through Sat. only
6. Pee Dee Station Site WMA
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 2
(c) Thurs through Sat. only
(d) All hunters must sign in and sign out at
kiosk.
7. Woodbury WMA
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 2
(c) Thurs through Sat. only
(d) All hunters must sign in and sign out at
kiosk.
8. Great Pee Dee
Heritage Preserve WMA
(a) Apr. 1 - April
30
(b) Bag limit 2
(c) Thurs through Sat. only
(d) All hunters must sign in and sign out at
kiosk.
9. Longleaf Pine
Heritage Preserve WMA
(a) Apr. 1 - April
30
(b) Bag limit 2
(c) Thurs through Sat. only
10. Manchester State Forest WMA
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 2
11. Hickory Top WMA
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 2
12. Oak Lea WMA
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 2
13. Santee Dam WMA
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 2
14. Wee Tee WMA
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 2
15. Cartwheel Bay Heritage Preserve WMA
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 2
(c) Thurs through Sat. only
16. Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage
Preserve WMA
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 2
(c) Thurs through Sat. only
17. Waccamaw River Heritage
Preserve WMA
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 2
(c) Thurs through Sat. only
18. Samworth WMA
(a) Apr. 1 - April 30
(b) Bag limit 1
(c) Youth hunting by draw only.
19. Liberty Hill WMA
(a) April 1 - April 30
(b) Bag Limit 2
E. Statewide Turkey
Hunting Regulations and Youth Turkey Hunting Day on WMAs
1. The statewide youth turkey hunting day on
designated WMA lands shall be the Saturday immediately preceding April 1
(a) The daily bag limit during the statewide
youth turkey hunting day on WMAs is one (1) which counts toward the season
limit.
(b) A person less than 18
years of age is considered a youth turkey hunter.
(c) Only includes WMAs designated by the
Department.
2. The
following regulations apply statewide. No turkey hunting permitted on Turkey
Restoration Sites which have not been formally opened by the Department.
(a) During the spring turkey hunting season,
only turkey gobblers (male birds) may be taken.
(b) Shotguns, muzzleloader shotguns, or
archery equipment are permitted. All other weapons and methods of taking are
prohibited including rifles, pistols, buckshot and slugs.
(c) Turkeys may not be hunted with
dogs.
(d) Live decoys are
prohibited.
(e) A tag issued by the
Department must be placed around a harvested bird's leg before the bird is
moved from the point of kill and the tag must be validated by the hunter as
prescribed by the Department. A valid tag must remain on the carcass until it
is processed (cut up).
(f) On all
WMA lands, it is prohibited to hunt or stalk wild turkeys while holding or
using for hunter concealment any of the following items: a tail fan, a partial
or full decoy with a tail fan, or a tail fan mounted to a firearm. Tail fans
include those made of real or synthetic feathers or an image or likeness of a
tail fan applied to any material.
3. Electronic Harvest Reporting of Turkeys on
Private and WMA Lands.
(a) Methods of
electronic harvest reporting include telephone, internet, and mobile device
application. Applicable telephone numbers and internet addresses are as posted
on the Department's website and in the annual Hunting and Fishing Regulations
Guide.
(b) Hunters must provide
their Department issued Customer Identification Number to access the reporting
system and provide the county of kill, whether the property on which the turkey
was taken was private or WMA land including the name of the WMA, whether the
turkey was an adult gobbler or juvenile (jake), and whether the turkey was
taken in the morning or afternoon.
(c) As part of the reporting process a
Department issued confirmation number will be generated. Hunters must document
and maintain this confirmation number as prescribed.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. South Carolina may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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