WMA Waterfowl on Management Areas
General Waterfowl Management Area Regulations
Category I and Category II
Hunting on Category I Designated Waterfowl Areas is permitted only by means of special permit obtained through an annual lottery.
For applications contact: Public Lottery Hunts, SCDNR, PO Box 167, Columbia, SC 29202 or visit our web site at www.dnr.sc.gov or your local DNR office.
Hunting on Category II Designated Waterfowl Areas is permitted only during specified days and times during duck seasons including September seasons for Canada Goose and Teal. Category II areas are not open for the late (Feb.-Mar.) goose season.
Designated Waterfowl or Dove Management Areas
Unless specially designated by SCDNR as a Waterfowl or Dove Management Area, all WMAs and Hunt Units are open during the regular season including September seasons for hunting and taking of migratory birds except where restricted to special small game seasons and within migratory bird framework.
The Department may designate sections of Wildlife Management Areas and other lands and waters under the control of the Department as Designated Waterfowl Management Areas or Designated Dove Management Areas. In addition, the Department may set special shooting hours, bag limits, and methods of hunting and taking waterfowl and doves on those areas. All State and Federal migratory bird laws and regulations apply. Regulations pertaining to the use of Dove Management Areas will be filed annually.
On Designated Waterfowl Areas, no species other than waterfowl may be taken during waterfowl hunts. On Designated Dove Management Areas no species other than doves may be taken during dove hunts. Only dove hunting is allowed at Lake Wallace.
Non Toxic Shell Requirement
On all State-owned, US Forest Service and other Federally owned Category I and II Waterfowl Management Areas each hunter is limited to 25 Federally approved non-toxic shells per hunt.
Hunting From Blinds
On areas where blinds are not provided, only portable blinds which are removed at the conclusion of the hunt or temporary blinds of native vegetation may be used. Temporary blinds once vacated may be used by other hunters.
Fishing Restrictions
No fishing is permitted in any Category 1 Designated Waterfowl Management Area during scheduled waterfowl hunts.
Consent To Search
Entry onto WMA land constitutes consent to an inspection and search of the person, vessel, game bag or creel.
Category I Areas
Bear Island WMA
Beaverdam WMA
Bonneau Ferry WMA
Broad River WMA
Clemson
Donnelley WMA (portions)
Samworth WMA
Sandy Beach WMA
Santee Coastal Reserve WMA
Santee Delta WMA
Wateree River HP WMA
Category II and Other WMA Specific Details
Area |
Open Period |
County |
Latitude |
Longitude |
Special Conditions |
Beidler Impoundment |
Sat. AM Only |
Sumter |
33.8 |
-80.556 |
|
Carr Creek |
Wed. & Sat. AM Only |
Georgetown |
33.463 |
-79.183 |
|
Ditch Pond |
Wed. AM Only |
Barnwell |
33.0419 |
-81.466 |
|
Donnelley WMA (east of Donnelley Drive and Blocker Run Rd. See Reg. 10.19) |
Wed. AM Only |
Colleton |
32.7054 |
-80.6036 |
Sign in/ Sign out required. No entry before 5:00 AM. No trailered boats or motors. No hunting from dikes. |
Dunaway WMA |
Sat. AM Only |
Union |
34.7096 |
-81.456 |
Sign in/Sign out required. No Entry before 5:00 AM. |
Duncan Creek WMA |
Sat. AM Only |
Laurens |
34.5246 |
-81.7988 |
Sign in/Sign out required. No Entry before 5:00 AM. |
Dungannon WMA |
Wed. AM Only |
Charleston |
32.757 |
-80.194 |
No hunting is allowed from boardwalk |
Enoree River WMA |
Sat. AM Only |
Newberry |
34.432 |
-81.422 |
Sign in/Sign out required. No Entry before 5:00 AM. |
Fant's Grove WMA |
Wed. & Sat. AM Only |
Anderson & Pickens |
34.623 |
-82.83 |
|
Francis Marion National Forest |
Waterfowl Season |
Berkeley & Charleston |
33.1619 |
-79.8291 |
Closed on Waterhorn WMA unit during any scheduled deer hunt |
Great Pee Dee HP WMA |
Sat. AM Only |
Darlington |
34.388 |
-79.705 |
|
Hamilton Ridge WMA |
Mon. - Sat. AM Only |
Hampton |
32.618 |
-81.359 |
Open only Nov. 20-25 Dec. 15 - Jan 31 |
Hatchery WMA |
Sat AM only & until sunset on last Sat. of regular duck season |
Berkeley |
33.256 |
-80.084 |
No airboats are allowed in the WMA during Nov. 15 - Jan. 31. No fishing allowed during scheduled waterfowl hunts. |
Hickory Top WMA |
Mon. thru Sat. |
Clarendon |
33.607 |
-80.481 |
Waterfowl hunting at or above 76 ft. 8 in. in elevation requires a WMA permit. |
Hickory Top Greentree Reservoir |
Sat. AM Only |
Clarendon |
33.607 |
-80.481 |
*Dry Year* Reservoir will not be flooded in 2023-2024. It will remain open during the regular waterfowl hunting season, but water levels will not be maintained. Closed to all public access Nov. 1 - Mar. 1 except during scheduled hunts. Hunting hours are from 30 minutes before legal sunrise until 11:00 AM. No shooting from roads or dikes. Hunters may use only electric motors on boats. Completion and submission of data card is required. No Entry before 5:00 AM. |
Lake Blalock |
Wed. AM Only |
Spartanburg |
35.166 |
-81.887 |
Sign in/Sign out required. No Entry before 5:00 AM. |
Lake Cunningham WMA |
Wed. AM Only |
Greenville |
34.987 |
-82.284 |
|
Lancaster Reservoir |
Mon. & Fri. AM Only |
Lancaster |
34.702 |
-80.751 |
|
Little Carr Creek |
Wed. & Sat. AM Only |
Georgetown |
33.467 |
-79.178 |
|
Little Pee Dee River Complex |
Fri. & Sat. AM Only |
Marion and Horry |
34.091 |
-79.255 |
|
Marsh WMA |
Fri. & Sat. AM Only |
Marion |
33.948 |
-79.468 |
|
Monticello Reservoir WMA |
Mon. thru Sat. AM Only |
Fairfield |
34.327 |
-81.313 |
|
Moultrie WMA |
Mon. thru Sat. |
Berkeley |
33.379 |
-80.081 |
|
Palachucola WMA |
Mon. thru Sat. AM Only |
Hampton |
32.599 |
-81.284 |
Open only Nov. 20-25 Dec. 15 - Jan 31 |
Parr Reservoir WMA |
Mon. thru Sat. |
Fairfield |
34.315 |
-81.362 |
|
Potato Creek Hatchery Waterfowl Area |
Fri. & Sat. Only |
Clarendon |
33.533 |
-80.270 |
Closed to all hunting and fishing one week prior to and two weeks after the waterfowl season. All hunters must enter and leave this area at the designated public landing on secondary road 260. Completion and submission of data card is required. No airboats are allowed and no hunting from secondary road 260. |
Russell Creek WMA |
Wed. & Sat. AM Only |
McCormick |
34.00 |
-82.549 |
Sign in/Sign out required. No Entry before 5:00 AM. |
Sampson Island Unit |
Thurs. & Sat. AM Only |
Colleton |
32.599 |
-80.421 |
|
Santee Cooper WMA |
Sat. AM Only |
Orangeburg |
33.411 |
-80.292 |
Sign in/Sign out required. |
Sumter National Forest |
Wed. & Sat. AM Only |
Abbeville, Chester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Saluda, Union |
34.5683 |
-81.5919 |
|
Tillman Sand Ridge WMA |
Mon. thru Sat. AM Only |
Jasper |
32.494 |
-81.207 |
Open only during special and scheduled small game seasons and full week of Thanksgiving. |
Turtle Island WMA |
Fri. & Sat. AM Only |
Jasper |
32.06 |
-80.903 |
|
Tyger River WMA |
Sat. AM Only |
Union |
34.608 |
-81.632 |
Sign in/Sign out required. No Entry before 5:00 AM. |
Waccamaw River HP WMA |
Fri. & Sat. AM Only |
Horry |
33.905 |
-78.729 |
|
Webb WMA |
Mon. thru Sat. AM Only |
Hampton |
32.596 |
-81.308 |
Open only Nov. 20-25 Dec. 15 - Jan 31 |
Wee Tee WMA |
Fri. & Sat. AM Only |
Williamsburg |
33.357 |
-79.759 |
|
Woodbury WMA |
Fri. & Sat. AM Only |
Marion |
33.775 |
-79.29 |
Includes all SCDNR-owned property south of US Hwy 378 and bounded on the west by the Great Pee Dee River and Bluff Road and to the east by the Little Pee Dee River. No waterfowl hunting is allowed in the area known as Hass Pond that is bounded on all sides by Hass Pond Road. |
40-Acre Rock |
Sat. AM Only |
Lancaster |
34.659 |
-80.517 |
