Hunting in  South Carolina

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Jim Glenn, Mr Fred Holseburg and Captain Wayne Vining of CATFISHNFOOL Guide Service harvested this gator (shown right) on
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hunting, wildlife site seeing bald eagles, osprey, deer, cypress swamps etc contact www.catfishnfool.com
 

Summerton, S.C....Santee National Wildlife Refuge announces opening of the refuge for public hunting of white-tailed deer and raccoon during the special seasons listed below. Please note that non-toxic shot is required when hunting with shotguns.

The deer hunt schedule begins with the special Youth Hunt on the Bluff Unit. As announced during May and June, there will not be deer hunting on the Cuddo Unit this year due to extensive road repairs. A week long primitive weapons hunt on Pine Island will start October 5th and end October 10th. Additionally, the Refuge is will be hosting two special quota deer hunts on the Bluff Unit this fall. These special hunts, called “Family, Friends, and Kids” are an effort to encourage adults to share an outdoor experience with kids by bringing a child hunting with them.

Refuge visitors should also note that for the protection of all visitors, Refuge units that are open to public deer hunts are closed to general public access during designated hunt periods.

Four managed hunts for white-tailed deer will be held on the Refuge in 2009 as follows:

Bluff Unit Youth Hunt; Quota Hunt September 25-26, 2009
Pine Island Unit Primitive Weapons Only October 5-10, 2009
Bluff Unit Family, Friends, Kids; Quota October 2-3, 2009
Bluff Unit Family, Friends, Kids; Quota October 16-17, 2009


For the Pine Island hunt, long, recurved, or compound bows and muzzle loading (black powder) rifles only are permitted. All other weapons including handguns and crossbows are prohibited.
For the Bluff Unit Special Hunts, only shotgun slug or muzzle loading black powder rifle are allowed.

For the Special Bluff Unit Hunts, Youth or Family, Friends and Kids Hunts, a completed application form must be returned to Refuge Headquarters by September 15, 2009. These forms and instructions are available on line at: http://www.fws.gov/santee/pdf/09SanteeBluffUnitHuntsInstructions.pdf
or by calling the Refuge Headquarters office at 803-478-2217(Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.) or by written request to Santee NWR, 2125 Fort Watson Road, Summerton, SC 29148.

There is no bag limit for the deer hunts and either sex may be taken. Antlerless deer tags will be furnished by the refuge at each check station. Hunters may legally harvest feral hogs as an incidental take while hunting for deer. Feral hogs are an exotic species and the refuge is allowing this harvest as an effort to minimize potential habitat degradation. All deer and hogs killed on the refuge must be checked at the check station prior to removing the animal from the refuge.

Hunters under age 17 years old are reminded that they must complete a state approved hunter education course before they are allowed to hunt on any National Wildlife Refuge. This requirement applies to all refuge hunts. Evidence of successful completion of such a course will be required. In addition, all youth hunters (under age 16) must be supervised by an adult at least 21 years of age.

To be eligible for Youth Deer hunts, applicants must be at least 10 years and no more than 17 years of age and must possess a valid hunter education certificate. For the Family, Friends, and Kids hunts, eligible youths and adults can hunt. Stands and access will be provided by the Refuge during the Bluff Unit Special Hunts. Please obtain detailed rules and instructions about these hunts from our brochure or the Refuge webpage.

The refuge will also host a raccoon and opossum hunt from 6:00 p.m. on March 1, 2010 through 6:00 a.m. on March 13, 2010. No hunting will be permitted on Sunday, March 7, 2009. Night hunting only is permitted and special State regulations on night hunting apply. Raccoons and opossums may be taken with a shotgun using non-toxic shot size no larger than #4's or a .22 caliber rimfire rifle.

All hunts, except special Youth Only quota hunts on the Bluff Unit, are open to anyone who wishes to participate. A permit is required for all hunts. A free refuge permit allowing participation in all hunts is included on the lower front portion of the hunting regulations brochure. A special refuge permit, signed by the hunter, along with a valid State hunting license, and photo identification (such as a driver’s license) are required and must be in your possession while hunting.

Camping, overnight parking, ATV’s and open fires are not permitted during any of the hunts. Dogs may be used only for raccoon and opossum hunting. Man-drives, stalk hunting and dog drives are prohibited. Special regulations and/or restrictions apply to all refuge hunts.

Scouting on the Pine Island Unit is allowed during periods when it is open to general public access. Hunter access for Pine Island roads will be opened only during each deer hunt and on the Friday and Saturday prior to each hunt to allow hunters to place their stands on the area. Stands may be placed on respective hunt areas on the Friday and Saturday immediately prior to each hunt (from 8 am until 5 pm) and must be removed by 8:30 pm on the last day of each hunt. Weapons and dogs are not allowed during scouting.

Refuge gates for hunting areas will be open from 5:00 am until 8:30 pm during designated hunt periods. All other access (i.e., scouting and stand placement) will be limited to the refuge's normal hours of operation (April - September: 7:00 am until 7:00 pm; October - March: 8:00 am until 5:00 pm).

Hunters are limited to one stand per person regardless of type, including tree stands, ground blinds, and ladder stands. Deer stands on the refuge must be clearly marked with the owner's name and telephone number.

Hunters are reminded that littering is a serious problem on the refuge. Regulations against littering will be enforced.

Since refuge hunting regulations often include changes from years past, hunters are advised to study a copy of current regulations before hunting on the refuge. Any questions regarding permitted activities and all requests for information about hunting, fishing, and other public use programs should be directed to: Santee National Wildlife Refuge, 2125 Fort Watson Road, Summerton, SC 29148. Information may also be obtained by telephoning (803) 478-2217. Hunters may also find information on the Refuge website at: http://www.fws.gov/santee/

The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The National Wildlife Refuge System, managed by the Service, is the world's premier system of public lands and waters set aside to conserve America's fish, wildlife and plants. Since President Theodore Roosevelt designated Florida's Pelican Island as the first wildlife refuge in 1903, the System has grown to more than 150 million acres, 550 national wildlife refuges and other units of the Refuge System, plus 37 wetland management districts. The agency oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to State fish and wildlife agencies.

WHAT HUNTERS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT AVIAN INFLUENZA -- S. C. Department of Natural Resources has received several contacts over the last few weeks concerning avian influenza. There has been a lot of speculation and hype about the possibility of avian influenza, often referred to as bird flu, reaching the United States. Waterfowl hunters and the public in general should note that as of November 2005, H5N1 avian influenza has not been found in North America and there is no record of positive tests in wild or domestic birds, and no known human cases of illness. For more information on avian influenza and hunting, call the Columbia DNR office at (803) 734-3886.

Somewhere near Rochester, New York, Ed set out to bag his buck at 5:30 a.m.  By 11:30 a.m., he was exhausted and hungry--and still no buck.  At 12 noon, the mighty hunter Ed guards the remains of his lunch while a passerby snaps a quiet photo while trying not to startle the deer with a belly laugh.

STATE SMALL GAME HUNTING SURVEYS RANK TOP COUNTIES FOR QUAIL, RABBIT

Through intensive field observations, South Carolina quail and rabbit hunters maintained detailed records of their hunting excursions throughout the year and provided the data to the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Small Game Project for analysis. Hunting data compiled included the number of quail coveys flushed, covey size, number of rabbits jumped, the dates and counties where hunts occurred, and the amount of time expended in pursuit of these species. The S.C. State Council of Quail Unlimited assists with funding for the supplies necessary to conduct the surveys.
   To receive copies of the Quail Hunter Survey report or the Rabbit Hunter Survey report or to have your name added to the list of potential cooperators, contact the DNR Small Game Project in Columbia at (803) 734-3609.
   Statewide survey results indicate a slight increase in the number of quail coveys flushed per hour and an increase the number of rabbits jumped per hour when compared with the previous year. The quail covey flush rate was 0.54 coveys/hour during the 2004-05 season, up from 0.53 coveys/hour the previous year. Quail hunters in the top five counties reported flushing an average of 0.94 to 0.74 coveys per hour. The rabbit-jumping rate increased slightly from 1.48 to 1.57 rabbits/hour during the 2004-05 season.
   The Northern Coastal Plain, defined as a seven-county area from the Charleston-Georgetown county line north to the North Carolina line and inland to Dillon, Florence, and Clarendon counties, claimed the highest rates of quail finds. Piedmont quail hunters had significantly less success than those hunting in other regions of the state, said Billy Dukes, DNR Small Game Project supervisor.
   The Rabbit Hunter Survey has shown stable populations and hunting success during the past four years. A majority of rabbit hunting (78 percent) by survey cooperators occurred in the Piedmont. The Lowcountry exhibited the highest rate of rabbits jumped per hour (2.01), among regions with a minimum of 25 hunts, said Judy Barnes, wildlife biologist with the DNR Small Game Project.
   Written comments from hunters in the surveys provided some excellent field observations, particularly on food items of quail. The preferred foods reported for quail were soybeans, lespedeza and partridge pea. Other food items such as green vegetation, native weed seed and acorns were also reported.
   "To ensure continued accuracy and usefulness of future small game surveys, the Small Game Project would like to increase the number of hunters participating this coming season," Dukes said. Avid quail and rabbit hunters across the state who are willing to assist by taking careful notes on their hunts should write to DNR Small Game Project, PO Box 167, Columbia, SC 29202 or call (803) 734-3609 in Columbia. Indicate whether you are interested in participating in the Quail Hunter Survey,
the Rabbit Hunter Survey, or both. Survey materials will be mailed to cooperators in mid-November, just prior to the opening of statewide quail and rabbit seasons.
 

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