Migratory Bird Regulations 2012-2013
Statewide Early Migratory Bird Hunting Seasons
(Doves, Teal, Rails, Woodcock, Snipe, Common Moorhens, Purple Gallinules and Canada Geese)
| Species | Open Dates (All dates inclusive) |
Shooting Hours | Daily Bag Limit |
Possession Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mourning Dove | Sept. 1--Sept. 3 Sept. 4--Oct. 6 Nov. 17--Nov. 24 Dec. 21--Jan. 15 |
12 Noon until Sunset 1/2 Hour before Sunrise until Sunset 1/2 Hour before Sunrise until Sunset 1/2 Hour before Sunrise until Sunset |
15 |
30 |
| Marsh Hens/Rails (Clapper, King, Sora & Virginia) | Sept. 18--Sept 22 Oct. 13--Dec. 16 |
1/2 Hour before Sunrise until Sunset | 15 (King & Clapper) 25 (Sora & Va.) |
30 (King & Clapper) 25 (Sora & Va.) |
| Early Teal | Sept. 15--Sept. 30 | Sunrise until Sunset | 4 |
8 |
| Woodcock | Dec. 18--Jan. 31 | 1/2 Hour before Sunrise until Sunset | 3 |
6 |
| Common
Snipe (Wilson's) |
Nov. 14--Feb. 28 | 1/2 Hour before Sunrise until Sunset | 8 |
16 |
| Common
Moorhens & Purple Gallinules |
Sept. 18--Sept. 22 Oct. 13--Dec. 16 |
1/2 Hour before Sunrise until Sunset | 15 |
30 |
| **Canada Geese | Sept. 1--Sept. 30 | 1/2 Hour before Sunrise until Sunset | 15 |
30 |
2012- 2013 Late Migratory Bird Hunting Seasons
| Species | Open Dates (All dates inclusive) |
Shooting Hours | Daily Bag Limit |
Possession Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| *Ducks (Excluding Sea Ducks) |
Nov. 17--Nov. 24 Dec. 8--Jan. 27 |
1/2 Hour before Sunrise until Sunset | 6 total, including no more than 4 mallards (2 hens), 2 pintails, 1 fulvous whistling duck, 1 black-bellied whistling duck, 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 1 canvasback, 4 scaup and (1 black duck or 1 mottled duck). | 12 total, including no more than 8 mallards (4 hens), 4 pintails, 2 fulvous whistling ducks, 2 black-bellied whistling ducks, 6 wood ducks, 4 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 8 scaup and (2 black ducks or 2 mottled ducks or 1 black duck and 1 mottled duck). |
| Mergansers | Nov. 17--Nov. 24 Dec. 8--Jan. 27 |
1/2 Hour before Sunrise until Sunset | 5 (not to include morethan 1 Hooded Merganser) | 10 (not to include more than 2 Hooded Mergansers) |
| **Sea Ducks (eiders, scoters, long-tailed ducks) |
Oct. 13--Jan. 27 | 1/2 Hour before Sunrise until Sunset | 7 (Not to include more than 4 scoters) | 14 (Not to include morethan 8 scoters) |
| Coots | Nov. 17--Nov. 24 Dec. 8--Jan. 27 |
1/2 Hour before Sunrise until Sunset | 15 |
30 |
| ***Canada Geese/ White Fronted Geese (Late Seasons) |
Nov. 17--Nov. 24 Dec. 2--Feb 1 Feb. 4--Feb. 7 |
1/2 Hour before Sunrise until Sunset | 5 (not to include morethan 2 white-fronted geese) | 10 (not to include more than 4 white-fronted geese) |
| Blue and Snow Geese | Nov. 17--Nov. 24 Dec. 8--Jan. 27 |
1/2 Hour before Sunrise until Sunset | 25 |
No Limit |
| **** Brant | Dec. 9--Jan. 27 | 1/2 Hour before Sunrise until Sunset | 2 |
4 |
There is no open season for harlequin ducks.
**Sea ducks taken outside of the regular duck season may be hunted only in Atlantic Ocean waters separated from any shore, island or emergent vegetation by at least one mile of open water.
***Excludes all of Clarendon County, that portion of Orangeburg County North of SC Highway # 6 and that portion of Berkeley County North of SC Highway # 45 from the Orangeburg County Line to the junction of SC Highway # 45 and State Road S-8-31 and that portion West of the Santee Dam.
****The season for Atlantic brant is limited to 50 days, total.
*Youth-Only Waterfowl Hunting Days
Daily and possession bag limits are the same as shown above.
Dec. 1, 2012 - State Youth Day
Only hunters 17 years of age or younger may hunt waterfowl (ducks and geese) on this day. The youth(s) must be accompanied by an adult of at least 21 years of age. The adult is not allowed to carry a gun or hunt, but must be properly licensed, including state and federal duck stamps. Youth who are 16 and 17 years of age who hunt on this day are not required to be licensed or have a state waterfowl stamp but must possess a Federal Waterfowl Stamp.
Feb. 2-3, 2013 - Federal Youth Days
Only hunters 15 years of age or younger may hunt waterfowl (ducks and geese) on these days. The youth(s) must be accompanied by an adult of at least 18 years of age. The adult is not allowed to carry a gun or hunt, and does not have to be licensed.
Waterfowl and Dove Regulations
Dates, times, locations and regulations for hunts on designated Dove Management Areas are printed annually. The Public Dove Field List is available August 1 by calling 803-734-3886. Specific seasons, limits and regulations for waterfowl hunting are printed annually in the SC Migratory Bird Regulations (Adobe PDF). You must have the Free Adobe Reader to preview this file. This information is provided by Wildlife & Freshwater Fisheries Division.
| Area | Open Dates | County |
| Biedler Impoundment | Sat. AM only during the regular season. | Sumter |
| Bear Island | Hunters selected by drawing during the regular season. | Colleton |
| Beaverdam | Hunters selected by drawing during the regular season. | Anderson |
| Bonneau Ferry | Hunters selected by drawing. | Berkeley |
| Broad River | Hunters selected by drawing. | Fairfield |
| Carr Creek (bounded by Samworth WMA) |
Wed. and Sat. AM only during the regular season. | Georgetown |
| Ditch Pond | Wed. AM only during the regular season. | Aiken/ Barnwell |
| Donnelly | Hunters selected by drawing. | Colleton |
| Dunaway | Sat. AM only during the regular season. | Union |
| Duncan Creek | Sat. AM only during the regular season. | Laurens |
| Dungannon | Wed. AM only during the regular season. No hunting from boardwalk. | Charleston |
| Enoree River | Sat. AM only during the regular season. | Newberry |
| Clemson | Hunters selected by drawing. | Anderson |
| Hatchery | Sat. AM only and until sunset on the last Sat. of the regular waterfowl season. | Berkeley |
| Hickory Top | Federal Waterfowl seasons | Clarendon |
| Hickory Top Greentree Reservoir | Sat. AM until 11:00 AM only during the regular season. No season on roads or dikes. | Clarendon |
| Lake Cunningham | Wed. AM only during the regular season. | Greenville |
| Lancaster Reservoir | Mon. and Fri. AM only during the regular season. | Lancaster |
| Little Carr Creek (bounded by Samworth WMA) | Wed. and Sat. AM only during the regular season. | Georgetown |
| Marsh | Wed. and Sat. AM only during the regular season. | Marion |
| Monticello Reservoir | Wed. and Sat. AM only during the regular season. | Fairfield |
| Moultrie | Mon. through Sat. during the regular season. | Berkeley |
| Parr Reservoir | Mon. through Sat. during the regular season. | Fairfield |
| Potato Creek Hatchery | Wed. and Sat. only during the regular season. | Clarendon |
| Russell Creek | Wed. and Sat. AM only during the regular season. | McCormick |
| Samson Island Unit (Bear Island WMA) | Thurs. and Sat. AM only during the regular season. | Colleton |
| Samworth | Hunters selected by drawing. | Georgetown |
| Sandy Beach | Hunters selected by drawing. | Berkeley |
| Santee Coastal Res. | Hunters selected by drawing. | Charleston/ Georgetown |
| Santee Cooper | Sat. AM only during regular season. | Orangeburg |
| Santee-Delta | Hunters selected by drawing. | Georgetown |
| Tibwin | Special hunts by drawing. | Charleston |
| Turtle Island | Wed. and Sat. AM only during the regular season. | Jasper |
| Tyger River | Sat. AM only during the regular season. | Union |
| Great Pee Dee | Wednesdays during federal waterfowl season. From legal shooting hours until 12:00 noon. | Darlington |
| Little Pee Dee River Complex | Wednesdays during federal waterfowl season. From legal shooting hours until 12:00 noon. | Horry / Marion |
| Waccamaw River HP | Wed. and Sat. AM only. | Horry |
| Wee Tee | Wed. and Sat. AM only during the regular season. | Williamsburg/ Georgetown |
| Woodbury | Wed. and Sat. AM only during the regular season. | Marion |
| 40 Acre Rock | Sat. AM only during the regular season. | Lancaster |
Addditional Waterfowl and Dove Regulations
10.1 Unless specially designated by the Department as a Wildlife Management Area for Waterfowl or a Wildlife Management Area for Dove, all Wildlife Management Areas are open during the regular season for hunting and taking of migratory birds except where restricted to special small game seasons within the regular migratory bird framework.
10.2 The Department may designate sections of Wildlife Management Areas and other lands and waters under the control of the Department as Designated Waterfowl Management Areas or Designated Dove Management Areas. All laws and regulations governing Wildlife Management Areas apply to these special areas. In addition, the Department may set special shooting hours, bag limits and methods of hunting and taking waterfowl and doves on those areas. All State and Federal migratory bird laws and regulations apply. Regulations pertaining to the use of Dove Management Areas will be filed annually.
10.3 On areas where blinds are not provided, only temporary blinds of native vegetation may be constructed, and once vacated become available for others or portable blinds which are removed at the conclusion of the hunt may be used.
10.4 On Designated Waterfowl Areas, no species other than waterfowl may be taken during waterfowl hunts. On Designated Dove Management Areas no species other than doves may be taken during dove hunts. Only dove hunting is allowed at Lake Wallace WMA.
10.5 No fishing is permitted in any Category I Designated Waterfowl Management Area during scheduled waterfowl hunts.
10.6 The Clarks Hill Waterfowl Area is closed to hunting except for special hunts as designated by the SCDNR.
10.7 Santee Cooper WMA is closed to public access from October 20 until March 1, except for special hunts designated by the SCDNR.
10.8 Sandy Beach Waterfowl Area and impoundments on Bonneau Ferry WMA are closed to public access during the period November 1 until March 1, except for special hunts designated by the Department.
10.9 Broad River Waterfowl Management Area is closed to public access during the period Nov. 1 until Feb. 1, except for special hunts designated by the Department.
10.10 Impoundments on Bear Island, Donnelley, Samworth, Santee Coastal Reserve and Santee Delta WMAs are closed to all public access during the period November 1 until February 8, except during special hunts designated by the Department. All public access during the period February 9 until October 14 is limited to designated areas. On Bear Island WMA, Matthews Canal is closed to all hunting from November 1 - February 15 beyond a point 0.8 mile from the confluence of Matthews Canal with the South Edisto River.
10.11 Potato Creek Hatchery Waterfowl Area is closed to public access and fishing one week prior to and two weeks after the Federal Waterfowl Season, except for scheduled waterfowl hunts. All hunters must enter and leave the Potato Creek Hatchery Waterfowl Area through the designated public landing on secondary road 260 and complete a data card and deposit card in receptacle prior to leaving the area. Hunting hours are from 30 minutes before legal sunrise to legal sunset (including the special youth hunt). Hunters may not enter the area prior to 3:00 AM on hunt days. No airboats are allowed for hunting or fishing and no hunting from secondary road 260.
10.12 Hunters may not enter Hatchery WMA prior to 3:00 AM and must leave the area by 1 PM except on the last Saturday of waterfowl season when hunters may hunt until sunset. Each hunter is limited to 25 nontoxic shot shells (steel, bismuth/tin, bismuth, tungsten-polymer, tungsten-iron) per hunt and no buckshot allowed. Hunters must enter and leave Hatchery WMA through the Hatchery Landing and accurately complete a data card and deposit card in receptacle prior to leaving the area. No airboats are allowed in the Hatchery WMA for hunting or fishing during the period November 15 until January 31. No fishing is allowed during scheduled waterfowl hunts.
10.14 On Crackerneck WMA waterfowl may be hunted only on Fri., Sat. and Thanksgiving Day within the regular migratory bird seasons and no hunting on December 25; Fant’s Grove WMA is open AM only on Wednesdays and Saturdays during the regular migratory bird seasons; Palachucola WMA, Tillman Sand Ridge WMA, Hamilton Ridge WMA and Webb WMA are open AM only for waterfowl hunting during the regular migratory bird seasons only on days when small game hunting is allowed.
10.15 Category I Designated Waterfowl Areas include Beaverdam, Bonneau Ferry, Broad River, Clemson, Sandy Beach, Samworth, Santee Coastal Reserve, Santee-Delta, Tibwin, Bear Island, and Donnelley Wildlife Management Areas. Hunting in Category I Designated Waterfowl Areas is by special permit obtained through annual computer drawing.
10.16 Category II Designated Waterfowl Areas include Biedler Impoundment, Carr Creek (bounded by Samworth WMA), Little Carr Creek (bounded by Samworth WMA), Lake Cunningham, Russell Creek, Monticello Reservoir, Parr Reservoir, Duncan Creek, Dunaway, Dungannon, Enoree River, Moultrie, Hatchery, Hickory Top, Hickory Top Greentree Reservoir, Lancaster Reservoir, Turtle Island, Little Pee River Complex (including Ervin Dargan, Horace Tilghman), Great Pee Dee River, Potato Creek Hatchery, Sampson Island Unit (Bear Island), Tyger River, Marsh, Wee Tee, 40 Acre Rock, Waccamaw River Heritage Preserve, Ditch Pond, Santee Cooper and Woodbury Waterfowl Management Areas. Hunting on Category II Designated Waterfowl Areas is in accordance with scheduled dates and times.
10.17 On Hickory Top WMA, public waterfowl hunting without a Wildlife Management Area (WMA) permit is allowed on all land and water below 76.8’. Waterfowl hunting at or above elevation 76.8’ requires a WMA permit. A WMA permit is required for waterfowl hunting in Hickory Top Greentree Reservoir.
10.18 Designated Dove Management Areas include all dove management areas as published by the Department in the annual listing of WMA public dove fields and are subject to regulations filed annually.
10.19 Hickory Top Greentree Reservoir is closed to hunting access November 1 until March 1, except for special hunts designated by SCDNR. All hunters must accurately complete a data card and deposit card in receptacle prior to leaving the area. Hunting hours are from 30 minutes before legal sunrise until 11:00 AM. Hunters may not enter the area prior to 5:00 AM on hunt days. No open season from roads or the dike system. Hunters may only use electric motors on boats.
10.20 On all state-owned, US Forest Service and other federally-owned Category I and II Waterfowl Management Areas, each hunter is limited to 25 non-toxic shells (steel, bismuth/tin, bismuth, tungsten, polymer, tungsten-iron) per hunt and no buckshot allowed.
10.21 On Enoree River, Dunaway, Duncan Creek, Russell Creek and Tyger River Waterfowl Areas, data cards are required for hunter access during scheduled waterfowl hunts. Completed data cards must be returned daily upon leaving each of these areas.
10.22 Woodbury Waterfowl Management Area includes all SCDNR/ owned property south of US Highway 378 and bounded on the west by the Great Pee Dee River and Bluff Road and to the east by the Little Pee Dee River except no waterfowl hunting allowed in the area known as Hass Pond that is bounded on all sides by Hass Pond Road.