South Carolina Deer Season 2026–27
South Carolina has one of the longest deer seasons in the country. The Lowcountry opened August 15, the Piedmont went to gun season October 11, and every game zone closes the same day, January 1, 2027. With the coastal rut winding down and the mountain rut just getting started, mid-November is a great time to plan the rest of your season. All private-land dates below come from the 2026–27 South Carolina deer seasons on private lands, published with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) regulations.
Hunting ducks in South Carolina this winter too? See our South Carolina Duck Season 2026–27 guide for season dates, bag limits and licenses.
South Carolina Deer Season 2026–27 at a Glance
| Game Zone | Archery | Primitive Weapons | Gun | Antlerless Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (Mountains) | No separate season | Oct. 1–10 | Oct. 11 – Jan. 1 | 2 per day, 3 total |
| 2 (Piedmont) | Sept. 15–30 | Oct. 1–10 | Oct. 11 – Jan. 1 | 2 per day, 9 total |
| 3 (Lowcountry and Midlands) | Archery and gun Aug. 15 – Jan. 1 (bucks only through Sept. 14) | 2 per day, 9 total | ||
| 4 (Pee Dee and Grand Strand) | Aug. 15–31 | No separate season | Sept. 1 – Jan. 1 (bucks only through Sept. 14) | 2 per day, 9 total |
Antlerless tags are valid starting Sept. 15 in Zones 2, 3 and 4, and Oct. 1 in Zone 1. Sunday hunting is allowed on private land. Hunting deer with dogs is illegal in Zones 1 and 2. Wildlife management areas (WMAs) have their own schedules and a combined limit of five deer, no more than two antlered, according to the SCDNR deer tagging FAQs.
Which Game Zone Is Your County In?
According to SCDNR's game zone page:
- Zone 1: the mountain sections of Oconee, Pickens and Greenville counties, north of the Norfolk Southern Railroad main line.
- Zone 2: Abbeville, Anderson, Cherokee, Chester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenwood, Lancaster, Laurens, McCormick, Newberry, Saluda, Spartanburg, Union and York, plus the southern parts of Oconee, Pickens and Greenville.
- Zone 3: Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Berkeley, Calhoun, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Hampton, Jasper, Lexington, Orangeburg and Richland.
- Zone 4: Chesterfield, Clarendon, Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Georgetown, Horry, Kershaw, Lee, Marion, Marlboro, Sumter and Williamsburg.
Bag Limits and the New Doe Tag
The statewide buck limit is two per day and five per season for residents, or four for nonresidents, across all seasons and methods. Starting this season, residents get a base set of three buck tags and three antlerless tags, one more doe tag than before, according to the 2026–27 deer tag rules. In Zones 2, 3 and 4, residents can buy up to four more antlerless tags for $5 each. Buy all four and you get two free bonus tags that are good on private land in those zones. Zone 1 is capped at three antlerless deer, so you can't buy extra doe tags to use there.
Some buck tags carry an antler restriction: the deer must have at least 4 points on one antler or an inside spread of at least 12 inches. A point has to be at least an inch long. Check which tags you're holding before you shoot.
Tagging and Reporting Your Deer
Tag your deer where it fell, before you move it, and leave the tag on until the deer is quartered or dropped off with a processor. Then report it through SC Game Check by midnight on the day of the harvest, and before you leave it at a processor. According to SCDNR's harvest reporting page, you can report:
- in the Go Outdoors SC app
- online
- by texting "harvest" to 1-833-472-4263
- by calling 1-833-4SC-GAME
Hunter Orange in South Carolina
South Carolina's orange rule is written for public ground. On WMA land during any gun or muzzleloader deer season, every hunter, including small game hunters, must wear a hat, coat or vest of solid international orange. Archers are exempt during archery-only seasons. The S.C. Forestry Commission applies the same rule on state forest lands. Private land has no orange requirement, but on a busy gun-season weekend, wearing a little orange on the walk in is cheap insurance.
When Is the Rut in South Carolina?
South Carolina ruts earlier than most of the South. SCDNR's historic reproductive data shows the average doe breeds around Oct. 30, and 83 percent of does breed between Oct. 6 and Nov. 16, according to the SCDNR 2024 deer harvest report. SCDNR's deer FAQs put the peak for most of the state in the last two weeks of October and the first two weeks of November.
The big exception is the mountains. SCDNR deer biologist Charles Ruth told Carolina Sportsman that the Upstate peak comes later, in late November, with rut activity running into December. So by mid-November, Lowcountry hunters are into the post-rut, when tired bucks go back to feeding. Upstate hunters, meanwhile, have their best two weeks still ahead. For the rest of the region, see our Southeast deer rut dates guide.
Thanksgiving, Christmas and the Final Day
Thanksgiving is Nov. 26, and gun season is open in every zone. The season closes Jan. 1, 2027, a Friday. The next day, Saturday, Jan. 2, is a youth deer hunt day on private land in every zone. Kids can take two deer of either sex, and tags aren't required. If you're traveling over the holidays, check our North Carolina and Georgia guides, plus our Thanksgiving week hunting guide.
South Carolina Deer Season FAQ
When does deer season end in South Carolina?
Jan. 1, 2027, in all four game zones on private land, followed by a youth deer day on Jan. 2.
How many bucks can you kill in South Carolina?
Residents can take five per season and nonresidents four, no more than two per day. Some tags require at least 4 points on one side or a 12-inch inside spread.
How many does can you kill in South Carolina?
Two per day. The season limit is nine in Zones 2, 3 and 4 and three in Zone 1. Residents get three antlerless tags free and can buy more.
How long do I have to report a deer in South Carolina?
Until midnight on the day you kill it, and always before you drop it at a processor.
When is the rut in South Carolina?
For most of the state, late October through mid-November, with the average doe bred around Oct. 30. The mountains peak later, in late November.
Gear Up for the Season
Every Hunt One More® design is built around faith, service and time in the field. Grab The Lord Is My Guide® tees and hoodies for those cold December sits, and put a Hunt One More decal on the truck before the season closes.
Trust the process. Trust the hunt. And when the sun's going down, hunt one more.
Keep Reading on Camp Talk
- Louisiana Deer Season 2026–27
- North Carolina Deer Season 2026–27
- Mississippi Deer Season 2026–27
- Arkansas Deer Season 2026–27
- Virginia Deer Season 2026–27
- Tennessee Deer Season 2026–27
- Georgia Deer Season 2026–27
- Alabama Deer Season 2026–27
- Southeast Deer Rut Dates 2026
Season dates and bag limits come from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources 2026–27 regulations for private lands. This guide is for planning only. WMAs have their own schedules and rules. Always confirm current regulations, license requirements and bag limits with SCDNR before you hunt.