Wildlife - Waterfowl Hunting and Baiting

Some Final Reminders

1. The daily bag limit for waterfowl is set annually and may change from year to year. Individual species bag limits may also change from year to year. The possession limit is two times the daily bag limit. Consult the annual Migratory Bird Regulations published by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources for seasons and bag limits.

2. If birds are placed in the care of another sportsman, the birds must be tagged with the name and address of the hunter who killed the birds, the hunter’s signature, the total number of birds involved by species, and the date the birds were killed. The tagging requirement does not come into effect until the hunter has left the place where the birds were taken and has arrived at his car, his main means of land transportation, his home, or a temporary lodging place. Therefore, in the area where the birds are taken, an individual is only allowed to possess the daily bag limit.

3. Hunters must make an effort to retrieve any downed bird and include it in his or her daily bag.

4. Remember to purchase and have on your person a hunting license, federal and state duck stamps (or number) and a migratory bird permit.

5. Check your auto loading or repeating shotgun. It must be plugged so as to be limited to three shells or consecutive shots.

6. Songbirds, hawks, eagles and owls are protected by state and federal laws and should not be targets of the thoughtless gunner. Any person violating the law by taking these birds will be punished with a fine up to $500.

7. In South Carolina, waterfowl are a valuable resource enjoyed by many citizens in our state. Healthy populations depend on the combined efforts of sound law enforcement and the ethical hunting standards of our state’s sportsmen. Only when law enforcement officers, landowners and sportsmen all cooperate in good faith to act for the good of the resource and fair hunting, will baiting violations be significantly reduced.