DNR News
** Archived Article - please check for current information. **
August 24, 2015Liberty Hill Wildlife Management Area (WMA) opening this fall
The S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is excited to announce the opening of the newly formed Liberty Hill WMA on September 1, 2015. The 8,000 acre Liberty Hill WMA is made up of a combination of DNR owned and leased properties located on the Kershaw/Lancaster County line from Singleton Creek on Lake Wateree to the Cedar Creek Boat Access on the Catawba River.
To enhance visitor access and safety, DNR has made significant improvements to several miles of roads on the Lancaster County portion of the WMA. These improvements were made possible by funding obtained in cooperation with the Lancaster County legislative delegation.
To access the WMA, travel SC97 to the Liberty Hill post office. Turn onto Singleton Creek Road and proceed 1/10 mile. Turn onto Wildlife Road and travel approximately three miles to the parking area and informational kiosk.
Situated along over 17 miles of the northeastern shore of Lake Wateree and the Catawba River, the WMA is dominated by mature loblolly and shortleaf pines on the upland ridges, mixed pine-hardwoods along the lower hillsides and mature hardwoods along creeks and coves of the shoreline. In addition, a young 1600 acre loblolly plantation and several acres of wildlife openings exist on the property, all providing habitat for numerous wildlife species, including white-tailed deer, turkey, bobwhite quail and songbirds. Other notable species found on the site include bald eagles, ospreys, and wading birds.
The topography is hilly, rising from an elevation of 225 feet at the shore to over 500 feet on the hilltops. Slopes in many locations are surprisingly steep with unique granite boulders that dot the landscape, giving the region the nickname, “the Devil's Backbone.”
Selective timber harvests and prescribed fire will be the primary management tools utilized to improve habitat conditions. Plans also include managing the openings and meadows to provide early successional habitat and supplemental forage for wildlife.
Liberty Hill WMA will be managed to provide quality natural resources dependent recreational opportunities, with hunting, hiking, and wildlife observation suspected to be the more popular activities enjoyed by visitors. The hunting season for Liberty Hill can be found in the 2015-16 DNR Hunting & Fishing Regulations.
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- S.C. weekly tidetable
- DNR video
- Archived news releases
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