Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 4, Aril 26, 2024
Section 123-51 - Turkey Hunting Rules and Seasons1. 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 11. Other WMAs (b) Bag limit 3 for residents and 2 for nonresidents, no more than one may be taken April 1 - 10.B.Game Zone 21. Other WMAs (b) Bag limit 3 for residents and 2 for nonresidents, no more than one may be taken April 1 - 10.2. Keowee WMA (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 (b) Bag limit 2, no more than one may be taken April 1 - 10.(c) Thurs through Sat. only4. Belfast WMA(c) Hunters by drawing only5. Worth Mountain WMA (b) Bag limit 2, no more than one may be taken April 1 - 10.(c) Thurs through Sat. only6. McCalla WMA(b) Bag Limit 2, no more than one may be taken April 1 - 10.7. Fants Grove WMA(b) Bag Limit 2, no more than one may be taken April 1 - 10.8. Liberty Hill WMA (b) Bag Limit 2, no more than one may be taken April 1 - 10.9. Delta South WMA(b) Hunters by drawing only10. Forty Acre Rock HP WMA(b) Bag Limit 2, no more than one may be taken April 1 - 10. C.Game Zone 31. Other WMAs (b) Bag limit 3 for residents and 2 for nonresidents.2. Crackerneck WMA(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 4. Francis Marion National Forest (c) Tibwin Special Use Area (3) Special hunts for youth or mobility impaired hunters as published by SCDNR.5. Moultrie (c) Thurs through Sat. only6. Santee Cooper WMA (c) Hunting by public draw only7. Webb, Palachucola and Hamilton Ridge WMAs(c) All hunters must pick up and return data cards at kiosk and display hangtags on vehicles.8. Donnelley WMA (c) Hunting by public draw only9. Bonneau Ferry WMA (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 3011. Edisto River WMA (c) Thurs through Sat. only12. Tillman Sand Ridge Heritage Preserve WMA(c) Thurs through Sat. only13. Victoria Bluff Heritage Preserve WMA(c) Thurs through Sat. only14. Botany Bay Plantation WMA (c) Youth hunting by draw only.15. Wateree River HP WMA (c) Hunting by public draw only D.Game Zone 41. Other WMAs (b) Bag limit 3 for residents and 2 for nonresidents.2. Marsh WMA(c) Thurs through Sat. only(d) Sign in and out at the kiosk required.3. Sand Hills State Forest WMA4. McBee WMA (c) Thurs through Sat. only5. Little Pee Dee Complex WMA (c) Thurs through Sat. only6. Pee Dee Station Site WMA (c) Thurs through Sat. only(d) All hunters must sign in and sign out at kiosk.7. Woodbury WMA (c) Thurs through Sat. only(d) All hunters must sign in and sign out at kiosk.8. Great Pee Dee Heritage Preserve WMA(c) Thurs through Sat. only(d) All hunters must sign in and sign out at kiosk.9. Longleaf Pine Heritage Preserve WMA(c) Thurs through Sat. only10. Manchester State Forest WMA 15. Cartwheel Bay Heritage Preserve WMA (c) Thurs through Sat. only16. Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve WMA (c) Thurs through Sat. only17. Waccamaw River Heritage Preserve WMA(c) Thurs through Sat. only18. Samworth WMA (c) Youth hunting by draw only.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.Added by State Register Volume 26, Issue No. 5, Part 2, eff May 24, 2002. Amended by State Register Volume 27, Issue No. 6, Part 2, eff June 27, 2003; State Register Volume 28, Issue No. 5, eff May 28, 2004; State Register Volume 29, Issue No. 5, eff May 27, 2005; State Register Volume 30, Issue No. 4, eff April 28, 2006; State Register Volume 31, Issue No. 6, eff June 22, 2007; State Register Volume 31, Issue No. 7, eff July 27, 2007; State Register 32, Issue No. 5, eff May 23, 2008; State Register Volume 33, Issue No. 6, eff June 26, 2009; State Register Volume 34, Issue No. 4, eff April 23, 2010; State Register Volume 35, Issue No. 5, eff May 27, 2011; State Register Volume 37, Issue No. 6, eff June 28, 2013; State Register Volume 38, Issue No. 6, eff 6/27/2014; State Register Volume 39, Issue No. 06, eff. 6/26/2015; State Register Volume 41, Issue No. 06, eff. 6/23/2017; State Register Volume 42, Issue No. 05, eff. 5/25/2018; State Register Volume 43, Issue No. 05, eff. 5/24/2019; State Register Volume 44, Issue No. 06, eff. 6/26/2020; State Register Volume 45, Issue No. 05, eff. 5/28/2021.