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Hunting in South Carolina

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sctraveler@sctraveler.com
Jim Glenn, Mr Fred Holseburg and Captain Wayne Vining
of CATFISHNFOOL Guide Service harvested this gator (shown right) on
9-24-09 Lake Marion SANTEE COOPER. HE was 12.5 feet long around 800 lb If
you wood like to go gator
hunting, wildlife site seeing bald eagles, osprey, deer, cypress swamps
etc contact
www.catfishnfool.com
DNR to host alligator hunting seminar at
Horry Georgetown Technical College
The S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR), in cooperation with
the Forestry and Wildlife Program at Horry Georgetown Technical College,
will conduct its first alligator hunting seminar on Saturday, Aug. 7
beginning at 10 a.m. at the Georgetown Campus. This seminar is for the
public alligator hunt participants, hunting assistants and other
interested persons. The program will cover such topics as alligator
capture and handling techniques, rules and regulations, alligator hunting
equipment, processing, and other helpful information.
This is the first in a series of four alligator hunting seminars
scheduled during the month of August. Interested alligator hunting
equipment manufacturers and retailers are invited to attend to display and
demonstrate their equipment in conjunction with the seminars; however, DNR
does not endorse any type, brand, or make of such equipment. Any vendors
should plan on bringing their own tables, set-ups, or displays as
dedicated space or tables may not be available. On premises sales are
restricted at certain sites and vendor space may be limited so all
interested vendors should first check and pre-register with DNR at (803)
734-3886. Vendors may be charged a fee for attendance at the Spartanburg
seminar.
The seminars dates and times are scheduled as follows:
* Aug. 7-10 a.m. - Georgetown County
Horry-Georgetown Technical College
4003 South Fraser Street, Georgetown
* Aug. 14-10 a.m. - Berkeley County
Santee Cooper Auditorium
1 Riverwood Drive, Moncks Corner
* Aug. 21-12 p.m. - Lexington County
Midlands Technical College
Airport Campus
1260 Lexington Drive, West Columbia
* Aug. 28-2 p.m. - Spartanburg County
Harry Hampton Hunting & Fishing Expo
Spartanburg Expo Center
6655 Pottery Road, Spartanburg
(An entry fee for the Expo will be charged)
New law brings changes to bear hunting in Upstate
The South Carolina General Assembly recently passed a new law that
affects bear hunting in the Upstate, and the law will bring some changes
that hunters will need to know before the bear season begins in October.
A two-week black bear season is held only in Game Zone 1, which
consists of the northern sections of Greenville, Oconee, and Pickens
counties. Still hunt season for bear is Oct. 17-23, and party dog season
is Oct. 24-30.
One of the main changes in the bear hunting law is the requirement
that all persons harvesting bears in South Carolina during both the still
and party dog seasons must possess a bear tag and must tag the animal
before moving it from the point of kill, according to Richard Morton, S.C.
Department of Natural Resources (DNR) wildlife biologist based in Clemson.
This tag will cost $25 for residents and $100 for non-residents and will
be issued in the name of the individual hunter. Youth under the age of 16
can obtain tags at no charge. Bear tags will be available online, by mail
and at DNR regional offices. The revenue generated from these bear tags
will go to bear research and management and to administer the tag system.
Purchase a bear tag online at:
www.dnr.sc.gov/purchase.html.
Another change brought about by the new law is that during the party
dog hunt, the limit was raised to five bears per party per season. All
persons wishing to register for the party hunt must register by Sept.1
each year and must provide a valid hunting license number. "It will be
more important than ever that hunters get their application in on time and
that they be accurate," Morton said. "The DNR will not substitute members
of a party after Sept. 1."
The application for party dog hunts is available online at
www.dnr.sc.gov/bearhunting/Bearpartyhunt.pdf.
Other changes brought about by the new law include:
* Archery hunting for deer will be allowed during the bear season.
* DNR will be allowed to set bear hunting seasons in other game zones
as bear populations increase.
* The harvest of an undersized bear is now a magistrate court case,
which means DNR officers can issue a courtesy summons for this violation.
Previously, an undersized bear charge resulted in the violator being taken
to jail. Other bear law violations will remain circuit court cases.
Hunters who have additional questions about the new bear law are
urged to contact their nearest DNR enforcement officer or wildlife
biologist. The new bear hunting law can be viewed at:
www.scstatehouse.gov/sess118_2009-2010/bills/3541.htm.
More information on black bears in South Carolina can be found at:
www.dnr.sc.gov/wildlife/bear/index.html.
Changes
to Francis Marion National Forest 2010 deer season
Some
changes in the 2010 deer season will occur on the Francis Marion
National Forest as a result of hunter concern and supportive biological
data related to decreasing deer numbers.
Hunts for deer with any type of weapon will not occur until Sept.
1. The entire month of September for all of the Wildlife Management
Areas (WMA), which includes Hellhole, Wambaw, Santee, Northampton and
Waterhorn, will be archery only except for scheduled deer hunts with
dogs on certain WMAs. Deer hunts with firearms will begin on all WMAs
Oct. 1 and continue until Jan. 1, 2011. On dates not designated as a
county wide either-sex days, individual antlerless deer tags are still
allowed on still gun and muzzleloader hunts only from Oct. 1 - Jan. 1.
The total bag limit for all firearm and muzzleloader hunts (including
deer hunts with dogs) has been decreased from 8 to 4 deer for the entire
Francis Marion National Forest for the 2010 season. A new regulation
will be in effect that makes it unlawful for an individual to attempt to
harvest a deer with a gun or muzzleloader once the individual has
reached the season bag limit for deer.
Deer hunts with dogs that were previously scheduled in August were
moved to days later in the year to take advantage of potentially cooler
weather. During the three previous deer seasons, August deer harvest
only represented an average 1.6 percent of the total deer harvest on the
Francis Marion National Forest. Several of the deer hunt with dog days
continue to be on dates when children are out of school and can
participate in the events. All of the youth only deer hunts with dogs
remain the same on all areas. In an effort to spread out hunters, the
either-sex deer hunt with dogs on the Santee WMA and the Hellhole WMA
will take place on the same date. Likewise the either-sex deer hunt with
dogs on the Wambaw and Northampton will also take place on the s ame
date.
Hunters have been voicing concern over the lack of deer on the
National Forest for several seasons. Deer spotlight surveys conducted
on the Waterhorn, Hellhole and Santee WMAs resulted in few deer being
observed. Other data suggestive of a lower deer herd density include
the fact that the Francis Marion Forest has the lowest deer harvest per
square mile of any other WMA throughout the entire state. Factors
possibly contributing to the decline in the deer population could be
coyote predation, feral hogs competing for similar habitats and food as
well as the illegal harvest of deer.
View the 2010-2011 copy of the Rules and Regulations brochure to
view the changes to the deer hunting season at:
www.dnr.sc.gov/regulations.html.
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SC
Has New State Record Gobbler
Ask DNR! -Have a question about hunting, fishing,
boating, natural resources or wildlife conservation? Submit your
question at:
www.dnr.sc.gov/dnrradio/ask_dnr.html , then listen for an
answer on "DNR Live" with host Mike Willis. Join DNR Communications
Director Mike Willis for "DNR Live" on the Clemson University radio
program "Your Day." It's all about hunting, fishing, boating, wildlife
and natural resources conservation in South Carolina. "DNR Live" can
be heard the first Wednesday in each month, noon to 1 p.m., on the
South Carolina Educational Television radio network.
STILL NO EVIDENCE OF CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE IN
SOUTH CAROLINA WHITE-TAILED DEER—Surveillance conducted by the S.C.
Department of Natural Resources over the last 6 years continues to provide
no evidence of Chronic Wasting Disease in South Carolina. Like fish and
game agencies in most states, the S.C. Department of Natural Resources
(DNR) has been diligent in conducting surveillance for the disease in
recent years. Although the disease has not been diagnosed in South
Carolina, it has been found in 14 states and two Canadian provinces.
STATE ANTLER RECORDS UP THIS YEAR-The most
recent round of white-tailed deer antler scoring conducted by the S.C.
Department of Natural Resources revealed 228 new records, the most entries
in many years. Each spring S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
Wildlife Section personnel make a concerted effort to score deer racks
throughout the state, with a major scoring session during the Palmetto
Sportsmen's Classic in Columbia. Of the 558 sets of antlers scored at the
15 scheduled sessions this spring, 228 met the minimum score for entry on
the state records list including 219 sets of typical and nine non-typical
racks. Currently 5,038 sets of antlers (4,858 typical and 180 non-typical)
are included on the South Carolina antler records list. Results of DNR's
Antler Records Program for 2008 is available on the DNR Web site at
http://www.dnr.sc.gov/wildlife/deer/2008DeerAntlerRecords.html
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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.

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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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