Visit SCI's website.

South Carolina Department of Natural Resources

South Carolina Wildlife Federation

National Rifle Association

Gun Owners of America

Africa News

US Department of State Travel Information

NEWS RELEASE #03 - 174 August 25, 2003 DNR News (803) 734-3950

South Carolina's 2003-2004 waterfowl hunting season as approved recently by S.C. Natural Resources Board will include a special season within a season for canvasbacks and pintail ducks.

South Carolina duck hunters will have 50 days of hunting for the general waterfowl season in 2003-2004 and an aggregate daily bag limit of six ducks. The S.C. Natural Resources Board approved waterfowl hunting seasons and regulations during its Aug. 15 meeting in Columbia from a framework set by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The 2003-2004 duck season, excluding sea ducks, pintails and canvasbacks, will be Nov. 26-30 and Dec. 12 - Jan. 25. Pintails can only be taken during the period of Nov. 26-30, Dec. 12 - Jan. 5. Canvasbacks may be hunted Dec. 27 - Jan. 25. The 50-day season is the same length as last year's season.

Waterfowl harvest data for South Carolina last season - collected using free Harvest Information Program (HIP) permits for the first time - indicated that the state's hunters had a 20 percent higher success rate over the previous year when the season was 10 days longer, according Tommy Strange, Statewide Waterfowl Project Leader with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR). During the 2002-03 season waterfowl hunters in South Carolina killed 201,600 birds, compared to 167,500 birds in 2001-02 season. Wood ducks were again the top bird in the bag with 102,996 harvested; mallards second with 27,910, greenwing teal third with 18,417 and scaup fourth with 15,584.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates overall duck numbers continent-wide at 36.2 million birds this year, up from 31.2 million birds a year ago. The 10 most common duck species made gains, with mallards up to 7.9 million birds from 7.5 million in 2002. Pintails, still more than 50 percent below the long-term average, increased by 43 percent this year, from 1.8 million birds to 2.6 million.

With duck numbers up due to favorable conditions on traditional duck nesting grounds from heavy snow and rainfall, biologists predict that extremely cold temperatures in the Canadian Provinces and northern United States are needed to drive birds south this fall and into areas such as South Carolina.

Other details of the 2003-2004 waterfowl season approved by the S.C. Natural Resources Board include:

Bag Limits: The total bag limit will be six ducks per day, not to include more than two wood ducks, two redheads, one fulvous tree duck, three scaup, four mallards (not to include more than one female mallard) and one black duck or one mottled duck. The limit may include one pintail, but only during the pintail season Nov. 26-30, Dec. 12 - Jan. 5, and this bird becomes part of the six-bird overall bag limit. Pintails may not be harvested during other dates. One canvasback may be taken (included in the six-bird limit) per day only during the canvasback season Dec. 27 - Jan. 25. 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 in addition to the duck limit. Canada goose limits (8 during the early season and 5 during the late season) are in addition to all other migratory bird limits.

Shooting Hours: 30 minutes before legal sunrise to legal sunset statewide during duck and goose seasons (except for teal during early teal season).

Early Teal Season: Green-winged and blue-winged teal may be hunted Sept. 19-27 with a daily limit of four and shooting hours from legal sunrise to legal sunset. (Shooting hours for Canada geese during the concurrent early goose season begin 30 minutes before sunrise.)

Early Canada Goose Season: Sept. 12-27, eight birds per day statewide. (Shooting hours for teal during the concurrent early teal season begin AT sunrise.)

Pintail Season: Nov. 26-30, Dec. 12 - Jan 5, one bird per day (To be included in the six-bird limit). Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until sunset.

Canvasback Season: Dec. 27 - Jan. 25, one bird per day (To be included in the six-bird limit) Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until sunset.

Late Canada Goose Seasons: Nov. 26-30, Dec. 12 - Jan 30, Feb. 2-14, five birds per day. Hunting area excludes all of Clarendon County, that portion of Orangeburg County north of SC Highway 6 and that portion of Berkeley County north of SC Highway 45 from the Orangeburg County line to the junction of SC Highway 45 and state road S-8-31 and that portion west of the Santee Dam. Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until sunset.

Blue and Snow Geese: Nov. 26-30, Dec. 12 - Jan. 25, five birds per day. Shooting hours one-half hour before sunrise until sunset.

Brant Season: Dec. 12 - Jan. 25, three 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. 31 - Feb. 1, 2004. Only hunters 15 years of age or younger may hunt waterfowl (ducks or Canada geese), and they must be accompanied by an adult of at least 18 years of age. Adults not allowed to carry a gun or hunt. Bag limits are the same as for adult hunters during regular seasons.

Special Restrictions: Shooting hours for duck hunting are uniform statewide, except for early teal season. 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 permit. Any South Carolina hunter born after June 30, 1979, must complete an approved 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 South Carolina hunting seasons and regulations consult the free booklet "2003-2004 South Carolina Rules & Regulations for Hunting, Fishing & Wildlife Management Areas." The booklet is on the Internet at www.dnr.state.sc.us/etc/rulesregs/img/birdregs.pdf   Copies of the regulations booklet and migratory bird hunting season brochure are available where hunting and fishing licenses are sold or by writing: Regulations, PO Box 167, Columbia, S.C. 29202; or by calling (803) 734-3886 in Columbia. Other useful information is available on the DNR Internet home page at  www.dnr.state.sc.us .

This site is best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer and an 800 x 600 monitor screen setting.

Send mail to scilowcountry@yahoo.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: 01/05/09