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South Carolina^s 2000-2001 waterfowl hunting season will include 60 days of duck hunting with a six- duck limit and statewide shooting hours from 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset. Hunters will get an extra 10 days to hunt Canada geese in February.
The S.C. Natural Resources Board approved the 2000-2001 waterfowl seasons at its Aug. 25 meeting in Charleston. In addition to a 60-day duck-hunting season, the board approved a limited-area early Canada goose season and a 10-day late Canada goose hunting season.
Duck Season: There will be a total of 60 days in the duck season, with the season running Nov. 22 - Jan. 20. The 2000-2001 season is not divided into segments.
Bag Limit: The total bag limit will be six ducks per day, not to include more than one pintail, two wood ducks, two redheads, one canvasback, one fulvous tree duck, three scaup and four mallards (not to include more than one female mallard or one black duck or one mottled duck). Five mergansers per day (not to include more than one hooded merganser) may be taken in addition to the regular daily limit of six ducks. Hunters may also take 15 coots daily and five blue or snow geese.
Shooting Hours: 30 minutes before legal sunrise to legal sunset statewide during duck and goose seasons (except experimental teal season).
Experimental Teal Season: Green-winged and blue-winged teal may be hunted Sept. 22-30 with a daily limit of four and shooting hours from legal sunrise to noon.
Early Canada Geese Season: Sept. 16-30, five birds per day. Hunting area is limited to "all of Clarendon County, that portion of Orangeburg County north of Highway SC 6 and that portion of Berkeley County north of SC 45 from the Orangeburg County line to the junction of SC 45 and county road S-8-31 and that portion west of the Santee Dam."
Late Canada Geese Seasons: Nov. 22 - Jan 20, Feb. 3-12, five birds per day. Hunting area includes all of South Carolina not covered under the early season regulations
Brant Season: Dec. 2 - Jan. 20, two birds per day, same shooting hours as duck season.
Sea Ducks: Oct. 6 - Jan. 20. Shooting hours same as ducks, daily bag limit of seven birds, not to include more than four scoters. Sea ducks may be hunted ONLY in Atlantic Ocean waters separated from any shore, island or emergent vegetation by at least one mile of open water, except during the regular duck season.
Youth Waterfowl Days: Jan. 27-28, 2001. Only hunters 15 years of age or younger may hunt waterfowl, and they must be accompanied by an adult of at least 18 years of age. Adults not allowed to hunt.
Special Restrictions: Shooting hours for duck hunting are uniform statewide. Hunters should take notice that DNR law enforcement officers will pay special attention to "late shooting violations" throughout South Carolina. Check local newspapers for sunrise and sunset times.
South Carolina waterfowl hunters age 16 and older must have a state hunting license, state and federal duck stamps and a free Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program (HIP) permit. Anyone born after June 30, 1979, must complete a hunter education course to purchase a hunting license.
Nontoxic shot (steel, bismuth-tin, tungsten-iron or tungsten-polymer) is required for all waterfowl hunting. The possession of lead shot is prohibited for all waterfowl hunting statewide.
For more information on fishing and hunting consult the free 2000-2001 "Rules and Regulations" booklet. The booklet can be picked up locally from license agents at retail stores and state DNR offices.
Uploaded: 9/7/2000
Uploaded: 9/7/2000