2017 South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 50 - Fish, Game and Watercraft
CHAPTER 11 - PROTECTION OF GAME
Section 50-11-310. Open season for antlered deer.

(A) The open season for the hunting and taking of antlered deer is:

(1) In Game Zone 1: October 1 through October 10, with primitive weapons only; October 11 through January 1, with archery equipment and firearms.

(2) In Game Zone 2: September 15 through September 30, with archery equipment only; October 1 through October 10, with primitive weapons only; October 11 through January 1, with archery equipment and firearms.

(3) In Game Zone 3: August 15 through January 1, with archery equipment and firearms.

(4) In Game Zone 4: August 15 through August 31, with archery equipment; and September 1 through January 1, with archery equipment and firearms.

(B) In Game Zones 1 and 2, it is unlawful to pursue deer with dogs.

(C) The department may promulgate regulations in accordance with the Administrative Procedures Act to establish the seasons for the hunting and taking of deer, methods for the hunting and taking of deer, and other restrictions for the hunting and taking of deer on wildlife management areas, heritage trust lands, and properties owned or leased by the department.

(D) It is unlawful to pursue deer with dogs except during the prescribed season for hunting deer.

(E) For special primitive weapons seasons, primitive weapons include bow and arrow, crossbows, muzzle-loading shotguns of twenty gauge or larger, and rifles of .36 caliber or larger with open or peep sights or scopes, which use black powder or a black powder substitute that does not contain nitrocellulose or nitroglycerin components as the propellant charge. There are no restrictions on ignition systems including flintstone, percussion cap, shotgun primer, disk, or electronic. During primitive weapons seasons, no revolving rifles are permitted.

HISTORY: [Derived from former Sections 50-11-480 (1962 Code Section 28-333.2; 1964 (53) 2144); 50-11-600 (1962 Code Section 28-334.23; 1972 (57) 3071; Repealed by 1985 Act No. 68, Section 22); 50-11-650 (1962 Code Section 28-334.1; 1953 (48) 623; 1956 (49) 1660; 1958 (50) 1568; 1959 (51) 80; 1961 (52) 460; 1971 (57) 490; 1973 (58) 431; 1979 Act No. 101, Section 1); 50-11-660 (1962 Code Section 28-334.2; 1953 (48) 623; 1956 (49) 1660; 1958 (50) 1568; 1961 (52) 460; 1979 Act No. 101, Section 2; 1984 Act No. 413, Section 2); 50-11-690 (1962 Code Section 28-334.3:1; 1967 (55) 159; 1972 (57) 2431; 1979 Act No. 101, Section 4); 50-11-800 (1962 Code Section 28-337.6; 1953 (48) 7); 50-11-850 (1962 Code Section 28-338.1; 1952 Code Section 28-338.1; 1951 (47) 244; 1952 (47) 1844, 2179; 1955 (49) 105; 1959 (51) 37, 354; 1962 (52) 1711; 1976 Act No. 485 Sections 7, 8; 1981 Act No. 63, Section 1; 1984 Act No. 460, Section 1; 1985 Act No. 68 Section 10); 50-11-910 (1962 Code Section 28-339; 1961 (52) 224; 1976 Act No. 485, Section 9; 1985 Act No. 68, Section 11); 50-11-970 (1962 Code 28-339.1; 1974 (58) 2198; 1975 (59) 205; 1976 Act No. 485, Section 10; 1981 Act No. 119, Section 1; 1983 Act No. 95, Section 1; 1985 Act No. 68, Sections 12, 13); 50-11-975 (1978 Act No. 395; 1985 Act No. 68, Section 19); 50-11-990 (1962 Code Section 28-337.6:4; 1972 (57) 2201; 1985 Act No. 68, Section 14)]; 1988 Act No. 561, Section 1; 1992 Act No. 316, Section 9; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 1262; 1994 Act No. 282, Section 1; 1994 Act No. 375, Section 1; 1996 Act No. 427, Section 1; 1997 Act No. 33, Section 2; 1997 Act No. 57, Section 2; 2000 Act No. 387, Part II, Section 75; 2001 Act No. 30, Section 1; 2003 Act No. 32, Section 1; 2006 Act No. 289, Section 4; 2008 Act No. 286, Section 9, eff June 11, 2008; 2010 Act No. 286, Section 4, eff June 29, 2010; 2013 Act No. 2, Section 1, eff March 1, 2013; 2013 Act No. 70, Sections 1, 2, eff June 13, 2013; 2014 Act No. 227 (S.1071), Section 4, eff July 1, 2015.

Effect of Amendment

The 2008 amendment rewrote subsection (B); added subsection (C); redesignated subsection (C) as subsection (D); and added subsection (E).

The 2010 amendment in subsection (A), inserted "hunting and" and in paragraph (A)(1), inserted "with archery equipment and firearms; October 17 through October 30, with archery equipment only;".

The first 2013 amendment, in subsection (B), deleted from the end ", and it is unlawful to bait for deer".

The second 2013 amendment, in subsection (A), substituted "the hunting and taking of" for "hunting and taking"; in subsection (A)(1), substituted "through January 1" for "through October 16", and deleted "October 17 through October 30, with archery equipment only; and October 31 through January 1, with archery equipment and firearms"; and in subsection (C), substituted "seasons for the hunting and taking of deer, methods for the hunting and taking of deer, and other restrictions for the hunting and taking of deer" for "methods for hunting and taking of deer and for other restrictions for hunting and taking deer".

2014 Act No. 227, Section 4, rewrote the section.