BY HEATHER RUPPE
Turkey hunters get ready: turkey season in Colleton County is fast-approaching, with the season starting on March 22nd.
Turkey season in Game Zones 3 and 4 – Colleton County is in Game Zone 3, along with neighboring Hampton, Allendale, Dorchester and Bamberg counties – starts March 22 and lasts until April 30th.
This is for private lands only.
There are changes this year to turkey hunting.
Turkey tags are no longer free. Hunters are required to have a hunting license and a big game permit, and they must have turkey tags while hunting.
The fee for a South Carolina resident is $5 per set of three tags. The fee for a non-South Carolina resident is $100 per set of two tags, according to the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR).
Youth hunters and 3-year Disability Licensees do receive tags for free, but must request them annually.
Tags can be bought on-line, by phone or at license vendors.
Tags will also be available over the counter at SCDNR regional offices, starting this week.
You must also report your turkey harvest this year.
All persons (including youth) harvesting a wild turkey are required to report their harvest for free by midnight of the day of harvest using SC Game Check.
There are three ways to complete the harvest reporting process.
Hunters can either log the harvest into the free SC Game Check reporting application on a smartphone; enter the harvest via the SC Game Check website at www.dnr.sc.gov/scgamecheck, or call the SC Game Check reporting phone line at 1-833-4SC-GAME (1-833-472-4263).
Turkey Harvest Rules
South Carolina residents can only harvest three gobblers per season and no more than one per day on private land.
Non-residents can take two gobblers per season and no more than one per day.
The S.C. DNR-sponsored Statewide Youth Hunting Weekend will happen on private lands for youth, age 17 and younger, on March 19-20. This is for Game Zones 3 and 4.
Youth hunters who have not completed the hunter education program must be accompanied by an adult at least 21 years of age. No license or tags required for youth or adult on these designated youth days.
Adult may call or guide on this hunt, but the youth is the only person who can take the bird. There is a one gobbler limit for the entire youth weekend, and this does count toward the entire season.
General Turkey Hunting Laws
On private lands and on wildlife management areas, here is a rundown of state laws for turkey hunting:
Sunday hunting is allowed on private lands only.
There is a statewide limit of 3 gobblers for residents and 2 for nonresidents, no more than 1 per day. Bearded hens are not legal.
All hunters, including hunters younger than 16 or those who are calling or guiding must possess a valid set of turkey tags except on designated youth days.
No person may possess more than one set of turkey tags.
Hunters who have used all their tags may call or guide for other hunters provided they possess their tag form.
Legal weapons - shotguns, muzzleloading shotguns, bows and crossbows. All other weapons or methods are prohibited including rifles, pistols, slugs, and buckshot.
Turkeys cannot be hunted with dogs, live decoys or electronic calls.
It is illegal to shoot any turkey between 30 minutes after official sunset and 30 minutes before official sunrise.
It is illegal to take or attempt to take a wild turkey from a vehicle on a public road. You cannot take wild turkey from a watercraft.
It is unlawful to hunt or take a wild turkey by baiting.
On WMA lands the practice of fanning or reaping is prohibited. Fanning/reaping is defined by SCDNR as hunting or stalking wild turkeys while holding or using for hunter concealment a tail fan, a partial or full decoy with a tail fan, or a tail fan mounted to a firearm. This regulation does not apply on private land.
