2021 South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 50 - Fish, Game and Watercraft
Chapter 9 - Hunting And Fishing Licenses
Section 50-9-1120. Point system for violations.

There is established the following point system for violations of certain provisions of law:

(1) Common violations:

(a) resisting arrest by the use of force, violence, or weapons against an employee of the department while engaged in his duties, a law enforcement officer aiding in the work of the department, or a federally commissioned employee engaged in like or similar employment: 18;

(b) attempting escape after lawful arrest: 14;

(c) hunting or fishing in a state sanctuary at any time: 14;

(d) hunting, fishing, or trapping out of season, except in a state sanctuary: 10;

(e) selling game or game fish: 14;

(f) taking game or fish in an illegal manner not mentioned specifically elsewhere in this section. However, no points may be assessed pursuant to this subitem for fish taken on the seaward side of the saltwater-freshwater dividing lines as provided in Section 50-17-30: 8;

(g) using a borrowed or altered hunting or fishing license: 10;

(h) taking more than the legal limit of game or fish: 8;

(i) hunting or fishing without a license in possession: 6;

(j) trespassing to hunt, fish, or trap: 14;

(k) violating game management area regulations: 8;

(l) hunting, taking, possessing, or selling alligators in violation of law or department regulations: 14.

(2) Hunting violations:

(a) killing or attempting to kill or molest deer from a motorboat: 14;

(b) night hunting deer, bear, or turkey: 18;

(c) illegally transporting furs or hides and possessing untagged hides: 10;

(d) trapping quail or wild turkeys: 10;

(e) hunting over bait: 8;

(f) killing or possessing antlerless deer, except as expressly provided by law: 14;

(g) illegally night hunting other game, except deer, or hunting game in prohibited hours: 8;

(h) possessing buckshot illegally: 5;

(i) possessing unplugged gun while hunting, violation of Section 50-11-10: 4;

1. killing or possessing a wild turkey during the closed season: 18;

2. killing or possessing a wild turkey hen during the spring gobbler season: 14;

(j) roost shooting wild turkeys between official sunset and official sunrise: 18;

(k) intentional trespassing to hunt, fish, or trap: 18;

(l) shooting wild turkeys over bait: 18;

(m) hunting wild turkeys over bait: 10;

(n) trespassing to hunt waterfowl: 18;

(o) hunting waterfowl over bait: 10;

(p) shooting waterfowl over bait: 10;

(q) hunting waterfowl out of posted season: 15;

(r) taking more than one waterfowl over the legal limit: 15;

(s) illegally possessing, taking, or attempting to take raccoons during the season for hunting without weapons: 14.

(t) failing to report the harvest of wild turkey as required by Section 50-11-546: 6.

(3) Fishing violations:

(a) trapping, netting, or seining game fish illegally: 10;

(b) taking or possessing more than the legal limit of striped bass: 14;

(c) taking or possessing an undersized striped bass: 14;

(d) taking or possessing more than the legal creel or size limit of blue catfish: 14.

HISTORY: 1996 Act No. 372, Section 2; 2008 Act No. 237, Section 3, eff May 21, 2008; 2014 Act No. 250 (S.986), Section 2, eff June 6, 2014; 2014 Act No. 254 (H.4543), Section 2, eff April 1, 2015; 2014 Act No. 254 (H.4543), Section 5, eff June 30, 2018; 2017 Act No. 88 (S.443), Section 5, eff May 19, 2017; 2019 Act No. 51 (S.575), Section 7, eff July 1, 2021; 2021 Act No. 40 (S.36), Section 2, eff June 16, 2021.

Editor's Note

2014 Act No. 254, Section 5, provides as follows:

"SECTION 5. This act takes effect April 1, 2015, and shall be automatically repealed on June 30, 2018, unless reauthorized by a joint resolution for that specific purpose."

2021 Act No. 40, Section 3, provides as follows:

"SECTION 3. The Department of Natural Resources shall conduct a study of the blue catfish fishery in the Santee and Cooper river systems and make recommendations to the General Assembly concerning the fishery on or before January 1, 2025."

Effect of Amendment

The 2008 amendment, in item (3), designated paragraph (a) and added paragraphs (b) and (c) relating to striped bass.

2014 Act No. 250, Section 2, added subsection (2)(k), and redesignated the remaining paragraphs accordingly.

2014 Act No. 254, Section 2, added subsection (3)(d).

2017 Act No. 88, Section 5, in (2)(b), substituted "deer, bear, or turkey" for "deer or bear".

2019 Act No. 51, Section 7, in (2), added (t), relating to failing to report the harvest of wild turkey.

2021 Act No. 40, Section 2, in (3), added (d).