Normally, the South Carolina hunting season is updated yearly. Before going hunting in South Carolina, here is everything you need to know first: season dates, state regulations, and types of licenses you should buy. We have gathered all the necessary information for you in one post. Let’s check it out.
When Is Deer Hunting Season In South Carolina?
White-tailed deer are the most common deer species you can hunt in this state. The South Carolina deer season will last about 4 months, from Early August to January of the next year.
The following are the detailed dates and bag limits for each game zone in private lands. Make sure to check the zone you are going to hunt in and bring the right weapons.
| Zones | Seasons | Dates | Limits |
| 1 | Primitive Weapons | Oct. 1-10 | 2 deer per day, 3 in total |
| Gun Hunts | Oct. 11-Jan. 1 | ||
| Youth Deer Hunt | Sep. 28 | 1 antlered deer only | |
| Jan. 4, 2025 | 2 either-sex deer | ||
| 2 | Archery Only | Sept. 15 – 30 | 2 deer per day, 8 in total |
| Primitive Weapons | Oct. 1 -1 0 | ||
| Gun Hunts | Oct. 11 – Jan. 1 | ||
| Youth Deer Hunt | Sept. 14 | 1 antlered deer only | |
| Jan. 4, 2025 | 2 either-sex deer | ||
| 3 | Archery and Gun | Aug. 15 – Jan. 1 | 2 deer per day, 8 in total |
| Youth Deer Hunt | Aug. 10 | 1 antlered deer only | |
| Jan. 4, 2025 | 2 either-sex deer | ||
| 4 | Archery Only | Aug. 15 – 31 | 2 deer per day, 8 in total |
| Gun Hunts | Sept. 1 – Jan. 1, 2025 | ||
| Youth Deer Hunt | Aug. 10 | 1 antlered deer only | |
| Jan. 4, 2025 | 2 either-sex deer |
🔔Notes:
- Sunday hunting is allowed on private lands only.
- Archery and crossbows are allowed during all seasons.
- Only antlered deer can be taken on all WMA lands unless there is any special rule for certain zones in certain counties.
- No dogs are allowed to hunt deer in Game Zones 1 and 2.
- Legal hunting time is one hour before sunrise until one hour after sunset.
- It is permitted to bait deer or hunt deer over baiting on private lands statewide.
- Remember to report the deer you have harvested to the SC Game Check system on the same day.
- Don’t forget to renew your hunting license or big game permit 7-10 days before the deer hunting seasons begin.
Common FAQs About South Carolina Deer Seasons
Except for some normal rules for the South Carolina deer season, below we listed some frequently asked questions to answer your inquiries.
Can You Shoot Deer On Your Own Land In South Carolina?
Yes. You can hunt deer on your own land, but still, there are restrictions on weapons allowed and licenses required, just like during the regular hunting seasons.
How Many Deer Can You Harvest In South Carolina?
For Antlered deer, the harvest limits are different based on your residency:
- Residents – 2 per day, 5 total all seasons and methods combined.
- Nonresidents – 2 per day, 4 total all seasons and methods combined.
For Antlerless deer, the limit is 2 each day. Remember that the limit numbers may vary based on the different hunting zones that you hunt on.
Can You Bait Deer In South Carolina?
Yes. Baiting deer is allowed on private land hunting.
What Weapon Can You Use For Deer Hunting?
Firearms such as shotguns, rimfire cartridges, and revolving rifles are prohibited. Any additional lawful firearms, muzzleloaders, longbows, recurve bows, compound bows, and crossbows are all allowed for use. Muzzleloading shotguns of at least 20 gauge, along with rifles of .36 caliber or larger.
What Licenses Do You Need For Deer Hunting?
In order to hunt deer, you need to have a hunting license, big game permit, and extra deer tags. Young hunters under 16 years old do not need to have a license.
How Much Does It Cost to Hunt Deer in South Carolina?
For residents, it costs $23 to get the required hunting license and permits. For non-residents, it costs $235 to get the deer license, permit and tags.
Is Hunter Orange Is Required For Deer Season?
During gun and muzzleloader deer hunting seasons on WMA lands, all hunters are required to wear a visible hunter orange hat, coat, or vest.
How To Report Harvested Deer?
Harvested deer must be reported by midnight on the day. There are 3 ways to do so:
- Use the Go Outdoors SC mobile app
- Visit the official site online at GoOutdoorsSouthCarolina.com
- Call the SC Game Check phone line at 1-833-4SC-GAME (1-833-472-4263) or send the text “Harvest” to the same number.
📌Read More: 10 Tips On How to Prepare for Deer Hunting Season
Besides white-tailed deer, South Carolina also provides hunters with a range of other game animals to chase after. In the next part, we will provide a summary of details regarding hunting seasons for those species.
2025 Turkey Season In South Carolina
The upcoming 2025 turkey season will start soon. We hope you enjoyed your hunt and brought a big prize back home. Hunters who are excitedly anticipating the openings should start getting ready now and mark down the important dates below.
- Private Lands Season: April 3 – May 3, 2025
- WMA Lands Season: April 3– May 3, 2025
- Youth Turkey Hunting Weekends: March 29-30, May 10-11, 2025
Bag Limits:
One per day and 2 gobblers in total for private land and WMA land hunting season.
One gobbler only for Youth hunting season.
🔔Notes:
- It is not allowed to take any male wild turkey with a beard less than six inches.
- It is allowed to hunt turkey on private lands on Sunday, but Not on WMA land.
- No baiting, dogs, live decoys or electronic calls can be used.
- Don’t forget to bring your turkey tags during hunting. ( $25 for residents and $125 for non-residents)
- The legal weapons to hunt turkey are shotguns, muzzleloading shotguns, bows, and crossbows. All other types of methods are prohibited.
- Pay attention to the legal shoot hours. Don’t hunt any turkey between 30 minutes after sunset and 30 minutes before sunrise.
- Report your turkey after harvested on the same day. You can do it on the ‘‘Go Outdoors SC’’smartphone app
South Carolina Bear Season
Zone 1
- Still Hunt (No Dogs): Oct. 17 – 23 (1 bear)
- Party Dog Hunts: Oct. 24 – 30 (5 bear)
Zone 2
- Still Hunts (No Dogs): Oct. 17 – 30 (1 bear)
Zone 4
- Still Hunts (No Dogs): Oct. 17 – 30 (1 bear)
Every hunter needs to report the harvested bear to the SC game check system so that the department can keep track of the quota in each zone.
Please notice that each zone has its own bear quota. If the quota is met, the season will be closed earlier. Hunters should pay attention to the closure notice on the official site.
Small Game Seasons In South Carolina
The small game seasons vary for different species and different hunting zones. The following are the schedules for private lands and Wildlife Management Areas(WMA).
Mourning Doves
- Sept. 2 – Oct. 5
- Nov. 16 – 30
- Dec. 22 – Jan.31, 2025
- Bag Limit: 15 per day
Crow
Private Land &WMA: Nov. 1 – Mar. 1, 2025
Bag Limit: No Limit
Quail
Private Land:
- Mar. 2 – Nov. 24, 2024 (dogs only)
- Nov. 25 – Mar. 1, 2025(guns & dogs)
- Mar. 2 – Nov. 23, 2025 (dogs only)
- Bag Limit: 12 per day
WMA:
- Sep. 1-15 (dogs only)
- Nov. 25-Mar. 1 (guns & dogs)
- Bag Limit: 12 per day
Rabbit
Private Land:
- Mar. 2 – Nov. 27 (dogs only)
- Nov. 28 – Mar. 1 (guns & dogs)
- Mar. 2 – Nov. 26, 2025 (dogs only)
- Bag Limit: 5 per day
WMA:
- Sept. 1 – 15 (dogs only)
- Nov. 28 – Mar. 1 (guns & dogs)
- Bag Limit: 5 per day
Squirrel
Private Land:
- Mar. 2 – Sept. 30, 2024 (dogs only)
- Oct. 1 – Mar. 1 (guns & dogs)
- Mar. 2 – Sept. 30, 2025 (dogs only)
- Bag Limit: 10 per day
WMA:
- Sept. 1 – 15 (dogs only)
- Oct. 1 – Mar. 1 (guns & dogs)
- Bag Limit: 10 per day
Fox
Private Land:
- Mar. 2 – Nov. 27 (dogs only)
- Nov. 28 – Mar. 1 (guns & dogs)
- Mar. 2 – Nov. 26, 2025 (dogs only)
- Bag Limit: No Limit
WMA:
- Sept. 2 – Nov. 27(dogs only, night only)
- Nov. 28 – Mar. 1 (guns & dogs, night only)
- Bag Limit: No Limit
Beaver
- Year-round (Private Land)
- Oct. 1 – Mar. 1, 2025 (WMA)
- Bag Limit: No Limit
Bobcat, Otter, Mink, Muskrat, Skunk, Weasel
Private Land&WMA:
- Nov. 28 – Mar. 1, 2025
- Bag Limit: No Limit
Grouse
Private Land&WMA:
- Nov. 28 – Mar. 1, 2025
- Bag Limit: 3 per day
Raccoon & Opossum
Private Land:
- Mar. 16 – Sept. 14 (dogs only)
- Sept. 15 – Mar. 15 (guns & dogs)
- Mar. 16 – Sept. 14, 2025 (dogs only)
WMA:
- Sept. 1 – 15 (dogs only, night only)
- Sept. 16 – Mar. 1 (guns & dogs, night only)
Bag Limit: No limit for opossums and 3 per day for others
Dove Hunting Season In South Carolina
Mourning Doves
- September 2, 2024 – October 5, 2024
- November 16, 2024 – November 30, 2024
- December 22, 2024 – January 31, 2025
The legal hunting hours for dove hunting is 30 minutes before Sunrise until Sunset.
Duck Hunting Season In South Carolina
Ducks, American Coots
- November 23 – November 30, 2024
- December 12 – January 31, 2025
Early Teal (Blue & Green Winged)
- September 14, 2024 – September 29, 2024
Canada Geese
- September 1, 2024 – September 30, 2024
- November 23, 2024 – November 30, 2024
- December 12, 2024 – January 31, 2025
- February 15, 2025 – March 1, 2025
White-fronted Geese & Snow Geese
- November 23, 2024 – November 30, 2024
- December 12, 2024 – January 31, 2025
- February 15, 2025 – March 1, 2025
Other Waterfowl Seasons
| Species | Dates | Bag Limit |
| Marsh Hens/Rails, Common Moorhens & Purple Gallinules | September 18, 2024 – September 22, 2024 | 15 in total, except 25 in total for Sora and Virginia Hens |
| October 16, 2024 – December 19, 2024 | ||
| Common Snipe | November 14, 2024 – February 28, 2025 | 8 in Total |
| Woodcock | December 18, 2024- January 31, 2025 | 3 in Total |
| Brant | January 2, 2025 – January 31, 2025 | 1 in Total |
| Scaup(Greater & Lesser) | November 23, 2024 – November 30, 2024 | 2 per day |
| December 12, 2024 – December 22, 2024 | ||
| December 23, 2024 – January 31, 2025 | 1 per day | |
| State Youth Day (Legal Species: Ducks, mergansers, coots) |
Nov. 16, 2024 | same as regular season |
| Federal Youth Days (Legal Species: Ducks, geese, mergansers, coots, gallinules) |
Feb. 1 and Feb. 8, 2025 | same as regular season |
| Veteran/Active Duty Military Days (Legal Species: Ducks, geese, mergansers, coots, gallinules) |
Feb. 1 and Feb. 8, 2025 | same as regular season |
| Extended Falconry Season (Legal Species: ducks, coots and mergansers) |
Nov 4-22 and Dec. 1-11, 2024 | 3 per day and 9 in total |
For Early Teal, the hunting hours are from official Sunrise until Sunset. For the rest waterfowl, the hunting time is half an hour hour before Sunrise until Sunset. To hunt waterfowl, you will need to get different licenses and permits based on the specific animals you hunt, such as a valid South Carolina hunting license, Migratory Bird Permit, migratory waterfowl permit, or a valid Federal Waterfowl Stamp.
South Carolina Hunting Licenses And Permits
For hunting games in South Carolina, hunters require different types of licenses and permits. The following is how much it costs for specific types of licenses.
| Licenses For Residents | Costs |
| Annual Hunting&Fishing Combination License | $25 |
| Junior Sportsman License | $16 |
| 3 Year Sportsman License | $150 |
| Annual Sportsman License | $50 |
| Annual State Hunting License | $12 |
| Annual Big Game Permit | $6 |
| Bear Tag | $25 |
| Turkey Tags | $5 |
| Individual Antlerless Deer Tags | $5 |
| Licenses For Non-residents | Costs |
| Annual State Hunting License | $125 |
| 10-day State Hunting License | $75 |
| 3-day State Hunting License | $40 |
| Apprentice License | $50 |
| Big Game Permit | $100 |
| Individual Antlerless Deer Tags | $10 |
| Bear Tag | $100 |
| Turkey Tags | $100 |
| Migratory Bird Permit | Free |
Conclusion
Hunting in South Carolina is a beloved pastime that provides numerous chances for outdoor lovers. By getting to know the hunting season schedules and new regulations of the state, along with some expert skills, you’ll set yourself up for a successful and safe hunting experience. Who knows, in this deer season, you may even catch a big buck to show off later on! Welcome to share your stories and trophy photos with us!
If you want to upgrade your hunting gear this season, check out the Kalkal store for hot-selling hunting boots and hunting accessories to elevate your experience.
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