South Carolina Code of Regulations
Chapter 55 - STATE COMMISSION OF FORESTRY
Section 55-1 - General s on South Carolina Forestry Commission Lands
Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 3, March 22, 2024
1. Entry onto South Carolina Forestry Commission lands is done wholly and completely at the risk of the individual. The State of South Carolina nor the South Carolina Forestry Commission accepts any responsibility for acts, omissions or activities or conditions on these lands which cause or may cause personal injury or property damage.
2. All persons must obey all special rules and regulations for South Carolina Forestry Commission lands including those found in hunting schedules, maps, brochures, permits, any oral/written instructions issued by South Carolina Forestry Commission personnel or those instructions posted on South Carolina Forestry Commission lands.
3. Trespassing, fishing, hunting, killing, capturing, or taking any fish or game, other recreational activities, or attempting such act, are prohibited, except as may be authorized under these rules and regulations, by permit or special authorization. On South Carolina Forestry Commission lands, where an agreement is made between the South Carolina Forestry Commission and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources to make the lands Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) as established by Section 50-11-2200 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, hunting and fishing will be governed by the appropriate South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) WMA laws and regulations to include regulation 123-40.
4. On South Carolina Forestry Commission lands, motor driven land conveyances shall be operated only on designated roads or trails, except by permit or special authorization. Roads or trails which are closed by barricades and/or signs either permanently or temporarily, are off limits to motor driven land conveyances unless the South Carolina Forestry Commission or its representative gives express permission. A person may not obstruct or cause to be obstructed travel routes on South Carolina Forestry Commission lands.
5. Motor driven land conveyances shall be operated in a safe manner while on South Carolina Forestry Commission lands.
6. On South Carolina Forestry Commission lands, any person found guilty in a court of law of undesirable or unsafe conduct, may, at the discretion of the Forest Director, forfeit all permits and privileges thereto and/or all future permits dependent upon the seriousness of the offense.
7. On South Carolina Forestry Commission lands, all firearms transported in vehicles must be unloaded and secured in a weapons case, or in the trunk of a vehicle, or in a locked box. Any firearm with a shell in the chamber or attached magazine, or muzzleloader with a cap on the nipple or flintlock with powder in the flash pan is considered loaded. Provisions in No. 7 are not applicable to handguns as prescribed in statute 16-23-20 of the South Carolina Code of Laws.
8. On South Carolina Forestry Commission lands, no target practice or target shooting is permitted except in areas designated by the Commission for such purpose.
9. The hours for hunting and fishing shall be published. The said hours may be set short of state and federal regulations.
10. Any attempt to move/flush/drive/pursue game to or into hunters on lands adjoining South Carolina Forestry Commission lands is prohibited.
11. Waiting for game to cross county or state roads on South Carolina Forestry Commission lands is prohibited.
12. Molesting, injuring, poisoning, destroying, or attempting such acts, of any plant or animal life on South Carolina Forestry Commission lands are prohibited except by permit.
13. Entry onto South Carolina Forestry Commission lands constitutes consent to an inspection and search of the person, game bag, or creel and any vehicle, trailer, conveyance, or container.
14. On all lands owned by the South Carolina Forestry Commission, the removal of artifacts or ecofacts from the surface or subsurface is prohibited except when approved by the State Historic Preservation Office and carried out in accordance with their guidelines.
15. In accordance with Section 48-23-70(b), 1976 S. C. Code of Laws, as amended, any person violating this section will be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction, must be fined not more than two hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than thirty days.
16. The penalty for fishing or hunting on any forest area, other than those times specified by the South Carolina Forestry Commission, shall be as prescribed by Section 50-1-90, 1976 South Carolina Code of Laws, as amended.
Except as modified or changed hereby, all prevailing laws, rules and regulations concerning the South Carolina Forestry Commission shall remain in full force and effect.
