South Carolina Hunting Season Dates
Recorded hunting windows for South Carolina, including historical and unverified entries.
Recorded dates, not hunting permission
Status assessment: 2026-10-14 UTC (static build snapshot). Static activity badges and day counts use this build assessment, not a live check. Interactive finder results show their own UTC assessment day.
1 of 6 recorded windows have date-review evidence. Other rows remain unverified. Historical records are retained and are not a current-season promise.
Check your current agency regulations, GMU or zone, hunt code, license and access restrictions before hunting. An agency link or successful publication fetch does not verify a row. Reviewed base dates do not cover every license-specific exception.
Date evidence: Official date source. Review dates apply only to the stated row scope, not an entire state or current license eligibility.
South Carolina Hunting Season Calendar
Find all hunting season dates for South Carolina including deer, elk, turkey, and waterfowl. Filter by species and hunting method.
Recorded windows at the assessment date in South Carolina
1 recorded window including the assessment date
Oct 11, 2026 - Jan 1, 2027
Actual current linked2026–27 LR2 guide printed61/PDF63 GameZone2 private gun Oct11–Jan1; printed60/PDF62 map York in Zone2. Only private non-quota ordinary adult resident legal-antlered rifle-date subset with unrestricted personal antlered tag reviewed, not individual permission. Printed57–58/PDF59–60 active Hunting License/Big Game Permit/correct tag; base three unrestricted antlered tags, optional two additional tags need four points on one antler OR12-inch inside spread, not universal restriction. Antlered definition antlers two inches or more above hairline; two antlered per day/five total all seasons-methods including WMA, not five unrestricted-tag bucks. Tag at kill before transport; report by midnight harvest day. Printed58/PDF60 deer hours sunrise/sunset±1hour; date activity not hourly permission; no deer pursuit with dogs in Zones1/2. Private Sundays allowed, including Oct11; no WMA Sunday/weapon/caliber rules imported. Check lawful rifle/ammunition, local discharge/300-yard residence rule/permission/access/CWD/bait/current corrections. No youth Jan2/primitive Oct1–10/WMA/DQP/nonresident/other county/zone/weapon/antlerless coverage; five history rows/license metadata unverified. Agency index read; agency PDF incomplete timeout/unread, not used for facts; actual linked publisher private table/current LR2 read.
Recorded Season Windows
All South Carolina hunting seasons organized by species
Deer 4 seasons
| Method | Dates | Zone | Status | Notes | Add to Calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | Aug 15 - Sep 30, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Archery only in some areas | |
| Rifle/Firearm | Oct 11, 2026 - Jan 1, 2027 Date window reviewed 2026-10-09; verify license-specific exceptions Official date source | York GameZone2 private non-quota adult resident legal-antlered rifle — unrestricted personal tag | Recorded window (79d left) | Actual current linked2026–27 LR2 guide printed61/PDF63 GameZone2 private gun Oct11–Jan1; printed60/PDF62 map York in Zone2. Only private non-quota ordinary adult resident legal-antlered rifle-date subset with unrestricted personal antlered tag reviewed, not individual permission. Printed57–58/PDF59–60 active Hunting License/Big Game Permit/correct tag; base three unrestricted antlered tags, optional two additional tags need four points on one antler OR12-inch inside spread, not universal restriction. Antlered definition antlers two inches or more above hairline; two antlered per day/five total all seasons-methods including WMA, not five unrestricted-tag bucks. Tag at kill before transport; report by midnight harvest day. Printed58/PDF60 deer hours sunrise/sunset±1hour; date activity not hourly permission; no deer pursuit with dogs in Zones1/2. Private Sundays allowed, including Oct11; no WMA Sunday/weapon/caliber rules imported. Check lawful rifle/ammunition, local discharge/300-yard residence rule/permission/access/CWD/bait/current corrections. No youth Jan2/primitive Oct1–10/WMA/DQP/nonresident/other county/zone/weapon/antlerless coverage; five history rows/license metadata unverified. Agency index read; agency PDF incomplete timeout/unread, not used for facts; actual linked publisher private table/current LR2 read. | |
| Rifle/Firearm | Oct 1, 2025 - Jan 1, 2026 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Gun season - varies by zone | |
| Muzzleloader | Sep 1-30, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Primitive weapons | |
Turkey 1 season
| Method | Dates | Zone | Status | Notes | Add to Calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any Legal Method | Apr 1 - May 1, 2026 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Spring gobbler | |
Waterfowl 1 season
| Method | Dates | Zone | Status | Notes | Add to Calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shotgun | Nov 22, 2025 - Jan 31, 2026 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Duck season | |
Got your license ready to show?
Store credentials offline in Hunter Passport
South Carolina Hunting Regulations
License year, species, and agency information
- License Year
- Jul 1, 2025 - Jun 30, 2026
- Available Species
-
- Deer
- Turkey
- Waterfowl
- Hunting Methods
-
- Archery
- Rifle/Firearm
- Muzzleloader
- Any Legal Method
- Shotgun
- Wildlife Agency
- South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
This information is for reference only. Always verify regulations with your state wildlife agency before hunting or fishing.
Important Note for South Carolina
Only York GameZone2 private non-quota adult resident legal-antlered unrestricted-personal-tag rifle dates Oct11–Jan1 reviewed from actual linked current LR2. Three unrestricted base tags; optional two restricted tags, not five unrestricted bucks or universal four-point rule. Current license/Big Game Permit/tag/two per day/five annual across methods, lawful weapon/ammo/local residence/access/CWD/corrections checks needed. Tag before transport/report midnight; ±1hour sunrise/sunset; no deer pursuit with dogs. Private Sundays allowed, no WMA restrictions imported. YouthJan2/primitive/public/WMA/DQP/nonresident/other counties/zones/methods/antlerless/five history rows/license metadata unverified; not individual permission.
Hunting Method Legend
South Carolina Hunting FAQ
Common questions about hunting seasons in South Carolina
What are the hunting season dates for South Carolina?
Recorded South Carolina entries cover Deer, Turkey, Waterfowl. Dates include history and unverified records; the recorded license-year metadata is not current verification. Check row evidence and current agency regulations and your license.
When does deer season start in South Carolina?
Recorded windows, not one continuous season: 2025-08-15 to 2025-09-30; 2026-10-11 to 2027-01-01; 2025-10-01 to 2026-01-01; 2025-09-01 to 2025-09-30. Historical and unverified records may be included. Check each row's evidence and your current GMU/hunt code and license before hunting.
Does South Carolina require a draw for hunting?
Draw requirements depend on species, GMU or zone, hunt code and license type. Recorded date windows do not establish eligibility. Check the current South Carolina agency rules and your actual license.
Which recorded windows include the assessment date 2026-10-14 UTC in South Carolina?
Recorded window includes 2026-10-14 UTC: Deer through Jan 1, 2027. Date window reviewed 2026-10-09; verify license-specific exceptions. This is not hunting permission; check your license and current regulations.
What should I know about hunting in South Carolina?
Only York GameZone2 private non-quota adult resident legal-antlered unrestricted-personal-tag rifle dates Oct11–Jan1 reviewed from actual linked current LR2. Three unrestricted base tags; optional two restricted tags, not five unrestricted bucks or universal four-point rule. Current license/Big Game Permit/tag/two per day/five annual across methods, lawful weapon/ammo/local residence/access/CWD/corrections checks needed. Tag before transport/report midnight; ±1hour sunrise/sunset; no deer pursuit with dogs. Private Sundays allowed, no WMA restrictions imported. YouthJan2/primitive/public/WMA/DQP/nonresident/other counties/zones/methods/antlerless/five history rows/license metadata unverified; not individual permission.
Other States
Compare hunting seasons across states
Need a South Carolina Hunting License?
Store your SC license in Hunter Passport for instant offline access.
Your license shouldn't be harder to access than these regulations.
Hunter Passport stores every state's hunting license on your phone. Works without signal — three seconds from tap to warden.