SC deer season begins Aug. 15

Hunters in Game Zones 3 and 4, the wait is almost over

For hunters in South Carolina’s Game Zones 3 & 4, which includes more than half the state’s counties, the months-long wait for another deer season ends on Aug. 15 on private land.

In Game Zone 3, hunters can begin hunting with archery gear or guns on Aug. 15.

Game Zone 3 includes the following counties: Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Berkeley, Calhoun, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Hampton, Jasper, Lexington, Orangeburg and Richland.

Game Zone 4 opens for archery only on Aug. 15, and transitions to gun season on Sept. 1. Game Zone 4 is made up of the following counties: Chesterfield, Clarendon, Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Georgetown, Horry, Kershaw, Lee, Marion, Marlboro, Sumter, and Williamsburg.

The rest of SC has to wait a little longer, with Game Zone 2 opening for archery only Sept. 15, primitive weapons on Oct. 1, and gun hunts on Oct. 11. Game Zone 1 hunters can hunt with primitive weapons beginning Oct. 1, with gun hunts opening Oct. 11. The season in all Game Zones ends Jan. 1.

For North Carolina hunters, archery season begins on Sept. 9, with blackpowder and gun seasons opening at later dates, depending on which part of the state you’re hunting. Like South Carolina, North Carolina’s deer hunting season ends on Jan. 1. But unlike South Carolina, North Carolina opens back up Jan. 13 through Feb. 18 for Urban Archery Season in select cities.

For complete deer season details, refer to the SCDNR and NCWRC regulations digests.