2016 - 2017 Regulations - Turkey Seasons
on Private Lands & WMA's
The 2017 Spring Turkey Seasons on Private Lands and WMA's is provided in the Adobe® Acrobat® (PDF) format. Adobe® Reader® is required to open this file and is available as a free download from the Adobe® Web site.
Seasons & Limits
Private lands statewide:
March 20 - May 5WMA lands statewide:
April 1 - May 5
(Some WMA's may be more restrictive, see below for specified hunt dates.)
Limit statewide private and WMA lands:
3 gobblers per season, no more than 2 per day.
(Some WMA's may be more restrictive, see below for specified limits.)
Youth Turkey Hunt Days (Tags required):
For youth 17 years old and younger accompanied by a licensed adult 21 or older. Adult may call or guide, however, only the youth may take or attempt to take turkeys. No license requirement for youths, however, tagging requirements and bag limits remain in place.
Private Land – March 18-19
WMA Lands – March 25 for all WMAs listed in chart below except Keowee WMA.
General turkey hunting laws and regulations for hunting on private & WMA lands
Sunday hunting allowed on private lands (SC 50-11-555). No Sunday hunting allowed on WMA land (Reg. 123-51).
Statewide limit of 3 gobblers, no more than 2 per day (SC Code 50-11-520). Bearded hens are not legal.
All hunters, including hunters younger than 16 or those who are calling or guiding must possess a valid set of turkey tags. All harvested turkeys must be tagged and validated as prescribed on the tag form before being moved from the point of kill. No person may possess more than one set of turkey tags (SC 50-11-544).
Hunters who have used all their tags may call or guide for other hunters provided they possess their tag form.
Legal weapons - shotguns, muzzleloading shotguns, bows and crossbows. All other weapons or methods are prohibited including rifles, pistols, slugs, and buckshot (SC 50-11-500, Reg. 123-51).
Turkeys may not be hunted with dogs, live decoys, or electronic calls (SC 50-11-40, Reg. 123-51).
Unlawful to shoot any turkey between 30 minutes after official sunset and 30 minutes before official sunrise. Unlawful to take or attempt to take a wild turkey from a vehicle on a public road. Unlawful to trap or snare a wild turkey. Unlawful to take wild turkey from a watercraft (SC 50-11-500).
Unlawful to hunt or take a wild turkey by means of bait or on or over any baited area (SC 50-11-510). Bait means placing, depositing, exposing, distributing, or scattering of salt, corn, wheat, or other grain, or foodstuffs to constitute a lure or attraction for wild turkeys. An area remains a baited area for ten days following the complete removal of all bait. NOTE: The following activities can result in a baited area if done prior to or during turkey season: planting, discing or manipulating chufa to expose the tubers; mowing or manipulating standing grain crops where grain is scattered or exposed; top sowing of any grains; bait or feed intended for other species.
Savannah River Site Draw Hunts for Persons with Disabilities
Savannah River Site will hold a draw hunt for persons with disabilities in April. For hunt applications, contact NWTF's Wheelin' Sportmen's Coordinator, 800-843-6983 ext 7421.
Wildlife Management Area Public Hunt Drawings
Wateree River Heritage Preserve WMA, Donnelley WMA, Santee Cooper WMA, Bonneau Ferry WMA (Youth) & Belfast WMA (Adult Hunts and Youth hunts). Turkey hunts available by public hunt drawing ONLY. To apply, visit our website at www.dnr.sc.gov/hunting/drawhunts. Deadline for applications is Feb. 27.
Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge
Turkey hunts available by public hunt drawing only. Contact: Carolina Sandhills NWR, 23734 Highway 1, McBee, SC 29101 or call 843-335-6026.
How to get Turkey Tags
Request turkey tags when you get your Big Game Permit or Sportsman's or Combination License. If " Seasonal Turkey Tags" appears on your license, you should receive tags by mail. Tags will be mailed in mid February. You can order turkey tags by calling 1-866-714-3611 or at http://dnr.sc.gov/purchase.html or by completing and mailing in an application. Tags will be available over the counter at SCDNR offices in late February. Handwritten tags are no longer available over the counter at local vendors as in the past. All hunters, including youth, are required to have turkey tags in possession while hunting for wild turkey.
Statewide Turkey Youth Hunt Day (Tags Required)
March 25, 2017 for all areas listed below, except Keowee WMA.
SCDNR Heritage Preserve Use Regulations
Visitation and use of heritage preserves are governed by regulations to promote public enjoyment of the land while preserving the features that make them special.
Complete regulations for heritage preserves may be found in SC Code of Regulations 123-200 through 204 or go to https://www2.dnr.sc.gov/ManagedLands/Home/Regulations.
Wildlife Management Areas Open to Turkey Hunting April 1 - May 5
| Areas Open - Named WMAs | Limit |
|---|---|
| Aiken Gopher Tortoise HP WMA | 2 |
| Bluefield WMA (Adult/youth Only, Thursday - Saturday only) | 2 |
| Cartwheel Bay HP (Thursday - Saturday Only) | 2 |
| 2Crackerneck WMA (Fri & Sat Only) | 3 |
| Draper WMA (Thursday - Saturday Only) | 2 |
| Edisto River WMA (Thursday - Saturday Only) | 2 |
| Fants Grove WMA | 2 |
| Forty-Acre Rock HP WMA | 2 |
| Francis Marion Hunt Unit (WMA Only) | 2 |
| 5Great Pee Dee River WMA (Thursday - Saturday Only) | 2 |
| Hickory Top WMA | 2 |
| 1Keowee WMA | 2 |
| Lewis Ocean Bay HP (Thursday - Saturday Only) | 2 |
| Liberty Hill WMA | 2 |
| 3Little Pee Dee River Complex (Thursday - Saturday Only) | 2 |
| Longleaf Pine HP WMA (Thursday - Saturday Only) | 2 |
| Manchester State Forest WMA (Thursday thru Sat. Only) | 2 |
| Marsh WMA (Thursday - Saturday Only) | 2 |
| McBee WMA (Thursday - Saturday Only) | 2 |
| McCalla WMA | 2 |
| Moultrie Hunt Unit (Thursday - Saturday Only) Greenfield, Hall, North Dike, Porcher | 2 |
| 4 Oak Lea WMA (Thursday - Saturday Only) | 2 |
| 5Pee Dee Station Site WMA (Thursday - Saturday Only) | 2 |
| Sand Hills State Forest WMA | 2 |
| Santee Dam WMA | 2 |
| Tillman Sand Ridge WMA (Thursday - Saturday Only) | 2 |
| Victoria Bluff WMA (Thursday - Saturday Only | 2 |
| Waccamaw River HP (Thursday - Saturday Only) | 2 |
| 4 Webb-Palachucola-Hamilton Ridge | 2 |
| Wee Tee State Forest (Thursday - Saturday Only) | 2 |
| Woodbury WMA (Thursday - Saturday Only) | 2 |
| Worth Mountain WMA (Thursday - Saturday Only) | 2 |
| Game Zones 1 & 2 "unnamed" WMA's including US Forest Service Land | 3 |
| Game Zones 3 & 4 "unnamed" WMA's | 3 |
1Keowee WMA - Shotguns only -- north of Highway 123 and west of the Keowee Arm of Lake Hartwell and west of Highway 291. Archery Only on other sections.
2Crackerneck WMA - Main gate opens at 4:30 am and closed at 1:00 pm. All hunters must check in and out at main gate.
3Little Pee Dee River Complex includes Tilghman, Dargan (including upper Gunters Is. and Huggins tracts), Little Pee Dee River and Ward Heritage Preserves in portions of Horry and Marion counties.
4On Webb, Palachucola, Hamilton Ridge, and Oak Lea WMAs, all turkey hunters must pick up and return data cards daily to kiosk and display hang tags on vehicles. Harvested turkeys must be checked in at the self-check kiosk located adjacent to the check stations at the respective properties.
5On Pee Dee Station site WMA, Great Pee Dee River WMA, Woodbury WMA, Worth Moutntain, Draper WMA, and Marsh WMA all hunters must sign in and sign out.