Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 3, March 22, 2024
This section shall apply to all Wildlife Management Areas,
Heritage Preserves and other lands owned by the Department.
A. Hunting, fishing, and taking game animals,
birds, fish, or other wildlife is allowed on Wildlife Management Areas that
have been designated as part of the Wildlife Management Area program. Hunting,
fishing, and taking shall be subject to all applicable statutes and
regulations, specifically including Reg.123-40.
B. All firearms must be unloaded and secured
in a weapons case except while legally hunting, unless otherwise legally
permitted. Target, skeet, trap, plinking, or any other type of shooting with
any firearm or weapon is allowed on designated shooting ranges. Except as
otherwise specifically authorized by South Carolina statute or this regulation,
weapons and firearms are not allowed on any heritage preserve. Possession of a
weapon or firearm is allowed on any heritage preserve designated by the
Department as a wildlife management area subject to the regulations.
C. Hiking is allowed subject to the following
restrictions or conditions:
(1) Hiking is
allowed. The Department may post or place signs declaring any area closed to
hiking;
(2) The use of all
designated hiking trails, except for posted multi-use trails is restricted
solely to foot travel and the legitimate activities associated with the pursuit
of hiking.
D. Operation
of motorized, nonmotorized vehicles, all terrain vehicles, and off road
vehicles.
The operation of motorized vehicles is allowed subject to the
following restrictions or conditions:
(1) Motorized vehicles, all terrain vehicles,
and off road vehicles may be operated only on open maintained roads and parking
areas except as otherwise established by posted notice or as approved by the
Department. For purposes of this Section and subsequent sections,
"Electric-assist bicycles" and "bicycles with helper motors" (Class 1 e-bikes)
as defined in S.C. Code Section
56-1-10(29) are
not considered motorized vehicles and shall be considered bicycles. All terrain
vehicles are not allowed on any heritage preserve.
(2) Motorized vehicles, all terrain vehicles,
and off road vehicles shall not exceed speed limits posted on Department
signs.
(3) No person may operate
any motorized, all terrain vehicle, off road vehicle or non-motorized vehicle
in a reckless or negligent manner. The operation of any vehicle in such a
manner as to indicate either a willful or wanton disregard for the safety of
persons or property shall be deemed to be operating in a reckless
manner.
(4) The operation of
motorized vehicles, all terrain vehicles, and off road vehicles must comply
with any posting or signs. Obstructing vehicular traffic is not
allowed.
(5) All motorized
vehicles, all terrain vehicles, and off road vehicles must be equipped with
properly working mufflers, brakes, mirrors and spark arresters (if the vehicle
was originally factory equipped with spark arresters and/or mirrors).
(6) Charter buses or other vehicles engaged
in transporting persons for compensation are only allowed by permit.
(7) The numbers of motorized vehicles,
nonmotorized vehicles, horses, or boats allowed on any area at one time may be
limited by the Department through a permitting system.
(8) The operation of nonmotorized vehicles
are allowed subject to the following restrictions or conditions:
(a) Bicycles may be ridden on roads open to
motorized vehicles, established roadbeds and designated bicycle trails unless
otherwise posted.
(b) Using roller
skates, in-line skates, skateboards, roller skis, coasting vehicles, or similar
devices is allowed only in designated areas.
(c) Motorized, self-propelled, unmanned
electric cargo carriers ("deer carts") may be used for the purposes of hauling
cargo and harvested game only.
E. Swimming.
Swimming is allowed only in designated areas, which includes
any State or federal navigable waterway abutting or flowing through Department
land.
F. Camping.
(1) Camping is allowed only within areas
designated as campsites by the Department. The Department will designate
campsites by placement of signs or by other means such as maps or
brochures.
(2) Camping in one
location for more than four nights is prohibited except under permit.
(3) All camping supplies must be removed from
camping sites.
(4) No organized
group of ten or more individuals may camp at a single designated camp site at
any time except under permit.
(5)
Permanent structures must not be erected.
G. Horse riding.
(1) Horse riding is allowed, except during
any open hunting periods.
(2) The
riding of horses is allowed on roads open to motorized vehicular traffic,
unless posted as closed to horseback riding.
(3) Horse riding is allowed on firebreaks or
trails if specifically posted as open to horseback riding.
(4) The Department may restrict the number of
horses and horse trailers and may require permits on specific areas.
Restrictions shall be posted at the offices and/or entrances to Department
lands or in published brochures.
(5) The owner of any horse brought onto
Department property is responsible for the payment of any expense for the
removal of injured or dead horses.
(6) Horses must be attended.
(7) Only pelletized feed may be used, no
hay.
(8) Access to a Department
property by horseback is limited to a designated public entrance. A public
entrance is a day-use parking area. For ride-on users (without vehicles or
trailers) only, entrance is allowed where a road open to motorized vehicular
traffic or firebreak designated for horseback riding intersects a public or
private road.
(9) When not being
ridden, horses must be led by halter or reins, confined in a trailer, or tied
to a trailer tie or hitching rail. Horses may not be confined using portable
corrals or electric fences.
(10)
Within a day-use parking area, horses must be kept at a flat walk.
(11) The Department may require a person with
an unruly horse, which is causing a disturbance or safety hazard, to remove the
horse from Department property.
H. Operation of boats.
(1) Boats may be used on Department land only
on a watercourse or water body which has been designated by the Department for
the use of boats. The Department may restrict the type, size, or number of
boats and motors or the use of motors. Any restrictions shall be posted at the
entrances to Department land. This restriction shall not apply to any State or
federal navigable waterway.
(2)
Motorized boats may only be launched at launch sites designated by the
Department.
I. Possession
of pets or specialty animals.
(1) Pets may
enter Department land and accompany an individual on allowed activities if each
pet is under the actual control of the owner or possessor.
(2) Neither dangerous pets nor pets with a
propensity toward aggressive behavior are allowed.
(3) The requirements of this subsection do
not apply to dogs while being used during and as a part of any of the following
activities:
(a) Hunting when use of dogs is
authorized by statute or regulation.
(b) The training of dogs to hunt is deemed
hunting; training of dogs to hunt on lands and waters may be undertaken only
during periods when hunting with dogs is authorized by statute or
regulation.
(c) Authorized field
trial events.
(d) Special events or
activities as authorized by the Department.
(4) Raptors are allowed on Department land in
compliance with R.123-170.
J. Consumption of alcohol.
Alcoholic beverages may be consumed by a person of lawful age
only at a designated campsite, designated facility, residence or other
designated location.
K.
Gathering, damaging, or destroying rocks, minerals, fossils, artifacts,
geological formations or ecofacts.
(1) The
Department may authorize the collection of certain material upon issuance of a
permit.
L. Gathering,
damaging, or destroying plants, fallen vegetation, animals and fungi.
(1) The Department may authorize the
collection of certain material upon issuance of a permit.
(2) Shed antlers at ground surface may be
collected.
M. Use of fire,
fireworks, or explosives.
(1) Open fires may
only be started at campsites designated by the Department. Gas grills, gas
lanterns, and portable charcoal grills may be operated at designated
campsites.
(2) No fire may be left
unattended. Prior to leaving the site, any fire must be completely
extinguished, leaving neither flames nor embers.
(3) No wood, except from dead and down trees
or from supplies as may be furnished by the Department shall be used for
fuel.
(4) On any land where camp
fires are permitted, the Department may prohibit the use of fires for any
purpose by posting a notice at entrances to individual parcels of
land.
(5) No person may deposit
lighted matches, cigars, cigarettes or other burning tobacco where they will
cause fire.
N. Hours of
Operation.
(1) The Department may restrict
the hours of operation on any Department land by publication in Department
brochures and pamphlets or by posting on site specific hours of
operation.
(2) Heritage preserves
are open for public use from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset.
On any preserve that is designated as a wildlife management area, the hours of
operation shall be the same as are authorized for hunting as stated in
R.123-40.
O. Shooting
onto or across WMA land closed to hunting.
(1)
Shooting onto or across WMA land closed to hunting is allowed provided the
shooter and the game being shot at are physically outside the boundary of the
WMA. The airspace above the WMA is considered within the boundary of the
WMA.
P. Emergency closure
of Department properties.
(1) The Department
may close all or part of any WMA, state lake, shooting range or any other
property for a special event, in cases of emergency or catastrophe, or any time
human health and/or safety may be at risk.
