Deer harvest on Wildlife Management Areas

According to biologist Charles Ruth of the S.C. Department of Natural resources, South Carolina has plenty of public hunting land, and hunters statewide make good use of those opportunities. He said the harvest of deer on public lands increased in 2013, but not as the same rate as the statewide harvest.

“During the 2013 season, based on the harvest data, we estimate that the WMA harvest was up again,” Ruth said.“

Ruth said data indicates an estimated 4,669 bucks and 3,862 does were harvested on Wildlife Management Areas for a total of of 8,603. This figure represents less than a 1-percent increase from 2012, but it’s the second-consecutive harvest increase on WMAs.

Ruth said data indicates that approximately 18,703 hunters spent 220,703 days hunting deer on WMAs in South Carolina in 2013.

Ruth said deer hunting on the WMA’s is good and is sometimes is an overlooked opportunity for hunters.