South Carolina Deer Hunting Season

Hunting animals can be a fun and exciting experience. Their habitat is colorful and so serene and being able to capture the animal can be a rewarding feeling. People also like to hunt because they can have a say on what goes in their bodies. Many meats that are sold in the stores have preservatives and hormones which can have serious side effects on a person. Hunting allows one to be more in control as they are able to eat soft meat that is natural as can be. South Carolina deer hunting season officially starts on August 15th 2012 and closes depending on each of the 6 game zones that one is looking to do the hunting.
One must always have a license when looking to do hunting and it is important to know that some game is protected and can only be hunted at specified seasons. Deer hunting may be done from one hour before sunrise until one hour after sunrise. Games Zones 1 and 2 prohibit chasing of deer using dogs or even while on a water craft. Carrying the head of a deer after a kill is very much against the law in the state of South Carolina. A hunter may not pursue deer that is within 300 yards from a homeowner’s property unless if they are the owner or receive permission to do so.
Those who want to pursue antlerless deer must receive special permits otherwise it is unlawful to kill this breed of deer. Weapons that are allowed in this state include shotguns, bow and arrows, crossbow, handguns and rifles. Shot guns that are being used for small game need not be larger than No.2 or .22. If using archery tools for small game hunting, then one should use softer tips such as judo points. It is unlawful for hunters of big game to use military style guns or even bullets. While transiting from different game zones, all weapons must be unloaded and placed in a locked toolbox or in the trunk of the car.
All deer that has been hunted must be checked out at the exit station. If it is too late, then it must be reported the following day. Only bucks which are male deer may be taken all over the different game zones. A man drive is a hunting technique where by the pursuers move the game into their desired point of hunting. This is only permitted between the hours of 10:00AM and 2:00PM and any other time is strictly prohibited. Hunting for deer either sex is allowed on the first three Saturdays in the month of November for Game Zone 1, for the rest of the zones, every Saturday starting October 1st to the Saturday following thanksgiving and the first few Saturdays of December.
Deer hunting season in South Carolina is in full gear but it is important for one to be aware of dangerous diseases such as Chronic Wasting Disease that mostly affects deer. It is a degenerating of the brain condition that destroys the central nervous system that leads to the animal losing a lot of weight and experiencing excessive urination and salivation. It is a disease that does not present itself visibly in the animal and requires an animal to get tested and diagnosed. In this state, CWD has not been found in any of the more than 5000 deer in the game zones.