The S.C. Natural Resources Board, the policy-making body of the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR), recently approved the 2013-2014 late migratory bird seasons and regulations from a framework set by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The season and bag limit selections must be approved by the Service and published in the Federal Register. The 2013-14 migratory bird brochure will be available soon.
DUCKS (Excluding Sea Ducks)
Open Dates (All Dates Inclusive): Nov. 23--Dec. 1; Dec. 7--Jan. 26'Hunting hours: 1/2 Hour before Sunrise until SunsetBag limit: 6 total, including no more than 4 mallards (2 hens), 2 pintails, 1 fulvous whistling duck, 1 black-bellied whistling duck, 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 2 scaup and either 1 black duck or 1 mottled duck.Possession limit: 18 total, including no more than 12 mallards (6 hens), 6 pintails, 3 fulvous whistling ducks, 3 black-bellied whistling ducks, 9 wood ducks, 6 redheads, 6 canvasbacks, 6 scaup and any combination of 3 total for mottled ducks and/or black ducks.
MERGANSERS
Open Dates (All Dates Inclusive) Nov. 23--Dec. 1; Dec. 7--Jan. 26Hunting hours: 1/2 Hour before Sunrise until SunsetBag limit: 5 (not to include more than 1 Hooded Merganser)Possession limit: 15 (not to include more than 3 Hooded Mergansers).
SEA DUCKS (eiders, scoters, long-tailed ducks)
Open Dates (All Dates Inclusive): Oct. 12--Jan. 26Hunting hours: 1/2 Hour before Sunrise until SunsetBag limit: 7 (Not to include more than 4 scoters)Possession limit: 21 (Not to include more than 12 scoters)Sea ducks taken outside of the regular duck season may be hunted only in Atlantic Ocean waters separated from any shore, island or emergent vegetation by at least one mile of open water.
COOTS
Open Dates (All Dates Inclusive) Nov. 23--Dec. 1; Dec. 7--Jan. 26Hunting hours: 1/2 Hour before Sunrise until SunsetBag limit: 15Possession limit: 45.
CANADA GEESE/WHITE FRONTED GEESE (Late Seasons)
Open Dates (All Dates Inclusive): Nov. 23--Dec. 1; Dec. 7—Jan. 26, Feb. 6—Feb. 15Hunting hours: 1/2 Hour before Sunrise until SunsetBag limit: 5 (not to include more than 2 white-fronted geese)Possession limit: 15 (not to include more than 6 white-fronted geese). This 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.
BLUE and SNOW GEESE
Open Dates (All Dates Inclusive) Nov. 23--Dec. 1; Dec. 7—Jan. 26Hunting hours: 1/2 Hour before Sunrise until SunsetBag limit: 25Possession limit: No limit.
BRANT
Open Dates (All Dates Inclusive): Dec. 28—Jan. 26Hunting hours: 1/2 Hour before Sunrise until SunsetBag limit: 2Possession limit: 6.
There is no open season on harlequin ducks.
FEDERAL YOUTH DAYS
Nov. 16, 2013 and Feb. 1, 2014 are Federal Youth Days. Only hunters 15 years of age or younger may hunt waterfowl (ducks and geese) on these days. The youth(s) must be accompanied by an adult of at least 18 years of age. The adult is not allowed to carry a gun or hunt, and does not have to be licensed. The regular duck season limits apply.
Shooting hours for late season duck hunting are uniform statewide. 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. Any South Carolina hunter born after June 30, 1979, must complete an approved hunter education course to purchase a hunting license.
Federally approved nontoxic shot (such as 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.