Title 50, Fish, Game and Watercraft

(A) Notwithstanding another provision of law, the Department of Natural Resources may administratively release any vehicle, boat, trailer, other means of conveyance, animal, firearm, or device confiscated from a person charged with hunting of deer, bear, or turkey at night to an …

It is unlawful for any person to feed or entice with food any American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), except those persons feeding alligators maintained in protective captivity under a permit issued by the department pursuant to Section 50-15-40 for education, scientific…

(A) It is unlawful for a person to hunt from a public road or railroad right-of-way if the person does not have permission to hunt the land immediately adjacent to the public road or railroad right-of-way. (B)(1) For purposes of this section, "hunting" includes: (a) taking deer b…

(A) For purposes of this section: (1) "Hunting" includes: (a) attempting to take any game animal, hog, or coyote by occupying stands, standing, or occupying a vehicle while; and (b) possessing, carrying, or having readily accessible: (i) a centerfire rifle with ammunition capable…

No dog is required to be constrained by a leash while it is actually engaged in hunting game and under supervision. As used in this section "supervision" means that the owner of the dog or his designee is either in the vicinity of the dog or in the process of trying to retrieve t…

(A) It is unlawful to intentionally remove or destroy an electronic collar or other electronic device placed on a dog by its owner. (B) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be: (1) fined not more than five hundred dollars or imp…

All species of game birds for which the legislature has not provided a specific open season are protected and may not be shot, trapped, destroyed, or attempted to be shot, trapped, or destroyed at any time. The department may prescribe an open season for the taking of exotic game…

No person within the State may kill, catch, or have in his possession, living or dead, any resident or migratory wild bird, other than a game bird, or purchase or offer or expose for sale any wild nongame bird after it has been killed or caught, except as permitted by Section 50-…

No part of the plumage, skin, or body of any bird protected by Section 50-11-820 may be sold or had in possession for sale whether the bird was captured or killed within or without the State.

(A) No person may take or destroy, or attempt to take or destroy, an active nest or the eggs of a wild bird or have an active nest or eggs in his possession, except pursuant to a permit issued by the department. An "active nest" means a nest with birds or eggs present. (B) The de…

It is unlawful for any person or any firm or corporation acting as a common carrier, its officers, agents, or servants to ship, carry, take, or transport, either within or beyond the confines of the State, any resident or migratory wild nongame bird, except as permitted by Sectio…

The shooting, killing, or maiming of an Antwerp or homing pigeon, commonly known as a "carrier pigeon", is prohibited. Any person violating the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and must be punished by a fine not exceeding ten dollars or imprisonment not excee…

It is unlawful for any person to molest or kill any of the birds of prey within this State. Birds of prey include all hawks, eagles, falcons, kites, vultures, owls, and ospreys. Anyone violating the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must …

No person, except the owner, shall catch, kill, capture, or detain a homing, racing, or carrier pigeon which at the time of its capture or detention has the name or initials of its owner, its number, or another mark designating it as a homing, racing, or carrier pigeon. A person …

(A) The department may establish seasons and bag limits for the hunting and taking of crows consistent with the federal regulation governing those activities. However: (1) The hunting season or seasons on crows may not exceed a total of one hundred twenty-four days during a calen…

The department, without any costs whatsoever to the State, shall designate and establish sanctuaries where game, birds, and animals may breed unmolested, if any landowner enters into an agreement with the department to set aside and turn over to the State for that purpose a certa…

The following areas are declared to be bird sanctuaries: (1) Port Royal Plantation on Hilton Head Island, Beaufort County; (2) Highlands of Otranto Subdivision in Berkeley County; (3) the Town of Bonneau in Berkeley County; (4) St. James Estates, Spring Hill, Devonshire, Raintree…

The following area in Charleston County within the City of Charleston is declared to be a bird sanctuary: From William Kennerty Drive along Highway 61, approximately 2,800 feet to Ashley Hall Plantation Road, then from Highway 61 along Ashley Hall Plantation Road, approximately 4…

The following areas are designated as wildlife sanctuaries: (1) the Sea Pines Public Service District on Hilton Head Island, Beaufort County; (2) the Highlands of Fripp Island, Beaufort County; (3) the Goose Creek Reservoir in Berkeley County including all lands lying within one-…

(A) The portion of Lake Secession in Abbeville County lying south of Highway 184 is a wildlife sanctuary. It is unlawful for anyone to trap, hunt, molest, or attempt to molest in any manner any bird or other game animal within the sanctuary. Any person violating the provisions of…

The following areas are designated bird and squirrel sanctuaries: (1) Bayview Acres in Charleston County; (2) all that area of the subdivision of Drayton on Ashley in Charleston County bounded as follows on the south by the Seaboard Coastline Railroad, on the east by the Ashley R…

The department may obtain and utilize Schedule III nonnarcotics and Schedule IV controlled substances for the capture and immobilization of wildlife. The department must apply for a Controlled Substance Registration Certificate from the federal Drug Enforcement and Administration…

The following areas are declared to be nongame bird sanctuaries: (1) the Hannahan Public Service District located in Berkeley County; (2) St. Andrews Parish in Charleston County.

The land owned or managed by the National Audubon Society, Incorporated, in Berkeley and Dorchester Counties, known as the Francis Beidler Forest, is declared to be a sanctuary for the protection of game, birds, and other animals. There may be no hunting, fishing, or trespassing …

The land owned, leased, or managed by the Playcard Environmental Education Center in Horry County is declared a sanctuary for the protection of game, birds, and other animals. There may be no hunting, fishing, or trespassing in the sanctuary. Fishing may be permitted only by writ…

The land owned or leased to Kershaw County to be used as a county park and streams or creeks entering into the lands are declared to be a sanctuary for the protection of game, birds, and animals. There may be no hunting, trapping, fishing, or trespassing thereon. Fishing is permi…

The land owned, leased, or managed by the South Carolina Future Farmers of America Camp of the Little River Neck section of Horry County is declared a sanctuary for the protection of game, birds, and other animals. There may be no hunting, fishing, or trespassing in the sanctuary…

It is unlawful for any person to trap, hunt, or molest in any manner any species of duck or geese, or to molest any duck or goose nest, on any water or tideland owned by the State within the following boundary: Beginning at the westernmost tip of the Isle of Palms at the base of …

The land owned and managed by the Conestee Foundation, Incorporated, a private nonprofit conservation organization, located in Greenville County, and known as Lake Conestee Nature Park, is declared to be a wildlife sanctuary for the protection and conservation of game, songbirds,…

(A) As used in this section: (1) "Computer-assisted remote hunting" means the use of a computer or any other device, equipment, or software, to remotely control the aiming and discharge of a firearm at an animal. (2) "Computer-assisted remote hunting facilities" means real proper…

The lands owned by Brookgreen Gardens, as an eleemosynary corporation for southeastern flora and fauna, in Georgetown County and all streams, creeks, and waters, fresh, salt or mixed, entering into the lands are established as a sanctuary for the protection of game, other birds, …

(A) It is unlawful for a person to introduce a fertility control agent or chemical substance into any wildlife without a permit from the department. (B) The department may issue a permit, authorizing the use of a fertility control agent or chemical in wildlife only for: (1) bonaf…

The following area is designated as the Paris Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary: Beginning on Poinsett Highway (U.S. 25 North) at its intersection with Little Texas Road and following Little Texas Road to Roe Road and thence along Roe Road to a point opposite the northwestern boundary …

The campus of Greenville Technical College in Greenville County bounded on the north by East Faris Road, on the east by South Pleasantburg Drive (Highway 291), on the south by Cleveland Street, and on the west by the Reedy River, is designated as a bird and wildlife sanctuary. It…

The area in Richland County consisting of the lands and waters owned by the Lake Dogwood Corporation is designated a waterfowl sanctuary. It is unlawful for any person to trap, hunt, or molest in any manner any species of duck or goose, or to molest any duck or goose nest in the …

The lands and waters in Charleston Harbor and its adjacent estuarine system in Charleston County lying within the following boundaries are designated a wildlife sanctuary: The area in Charleston County beginning at the foot of Station 22 1⁄2 Street on Sullivan's Island, thence on…

Anyone hunting or trespassing upon any land designated as a sanctuary under the provisions of this article must be fined for each offense not less than one hundred dollars nor more than two hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than thirty days.