Pickens County deer harvest: South Carolina, 2019 to 2024
SCDNR's 2024 Deer Harvest Report puts Pickens County's harvest at 3,147 deer: 1,585 antlered bucks, 149 button bucks, 1,173 does and 241 of unknown sex, reported through SC Game Check and corrected by SCDNR for hunters who did not report. That is 9.2 deer per square mile of deer habitat. Ordered by SCDNR's 2024 harvest figures, the county is 32nd of 46 by total deer and 18th by deer per square mile. About 4,033 deer hunters spent 48,009 days hunting deer in the county. SCDNR's survey estimates for 2019 to 2023 run from 2,269 (2023) to 3,068 (2022). The county is split between Game Zones 1 and 2 (56% in Zone 1 and 44% in Zone 2, measured on SCDNR's game zone map).
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: SCDNR Deer Harvest Reports, 2019 to 2024. Seasons: SCDNR's 2026-27 deer seasons on private lands.
Pickens CountySCDNR WMAsNational forestLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer, 2024 season | 3,147: 1,585 antlered, 149 button bucks, 1,173 does, 241 unknown |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of deer habitat | 9.2, 18th of 46 |
| Place by SCDNR's total, 2024 | 32nd of 46 counties |
| Deer hunters, 2024 | 4,033 (21st of 46), 11.9 days each on average |
| Days of deer hunting, 2024 | 48,009 (28th of 46) |
| Hogs taken by deer hunters, 2024 | 770 (2.2 per square mile) |
| Coyotes taken by deer hunters, 2024 | 545 |
| Game zone | Zones 1 and 2 (split) |
| Deer habitat (SCDNR) | 219,926 acres |
| Public land mapped here | 7 WMA properties with a page, 40,544 acres |
| Towns | Easley, Clemson, Liberty, Central and Pickens |
How many deer are killed in Pickens County each season?
| Season | Deer | Bucks | Does | Per sq mi of habitat | How SCDNR counted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 3,147 | 1,734 | 1,173 | 9.2 | Reported (SC Game Check, corrected) |
| 2023 | 2,269 | 1,352 | 917 | 6.6 | Survey estimate |
| 2022 | 3,068 | 1,816 | 1,252 | 8.9 | Survey estimate |
| 2021 | 2,785 | 1,842 | 943 | 8.1 | Survey estimate |
| 2020 | 2,737 | 1,733 | 1,004 | 8 | Survey estimate |
| 2019 | 2,679 | 1,675 | 1,004 | 7.8 | Survey estimate |
Source: SCDNR 2024 Deer Harvest Report, Table 1 (county harvest) and Table 1 of the 2019 to 2023 reports (SCDNR deer harvest reports). In 2024 SCDNR moved from a hunter survey to mandatory reporting through SC Game Check, so compare 2024 with the years before it with care. 2024 bucks are antlered and button bucks added together by FilledTag; the 241 deer of unknown sex are in the total only. Per square mile is SCDNR's own figure, on the forest and crop land it counts as deer habitat.
How many people hunt deer in Pickens County?
SCDNR estimates 4,033 people hunted deer in Pickens County in the 2024 season, 21st of 46 counties, averaging 11.9 days each for 48,009 days in all (28th of 46).
The same report estimates deer hunters took 770 wild hogs (2.2 per square mile) and 545 coyotes (1.6 per square mile) in the county in 2024.
Source: SCDNR 2024 Deer Harvest Report, Table 5 (hunters and days by county); SCDNR 2024 Deer Harvest Report, Table 10 (hogs and coyotes by county). These are survey estimates.
When is deer season in Pickens County?
Pickens County is split between Game Zones 1 and 2 (56% in Zone 1 and 44% in Zone 2, measured on SCDNR's game zone map). Game Zone 1 (the Mountain Hunt Unit) is the part of Oconee, Pickens and Greenville counties north of the Norfolk Southern Railroad main line, except that from Westminster the line follows SC Highway 183 until the highway meets the railroad again in Greenville (SCDNR's Game Zone 1 page).
Game Zone 1, private land
| Primitive weapons | Oct. 1-10 |
|---|---|
| Gun hunts | Oct. 11-Jan. 1 |
| Youth deer days | Sept. 26 (antlered only, 1 deer); Jan. 2 (either sex, 2 deer) |
| Antlerless limit | 2 a day, 3 total all seasons and methods |
Game Zone 2, private land
| Archery only | Sept. 15-30 |
|---|---|
| Primitive weapons | Oct. 1-10 |
| Gun hunts | Oct. 11-Jan. 1 |
| Youth deer days | Sept. 12 (antlered only, 1 deer); Jan. 2 (either sex, 2 deer) |
| Antlerless limit | 2 a day, 9 total all seasons and methods |
Hunting deer with dogs is unlawful in Game Zones 1 and 2. Baiting deer is allowed on private land statewide and Sunday hunting is allowed on private land. WMAs set their own dates.
Source: SCDNR 2026-27 deer seasons on private lands.
Where is the public hunting land in Pickens County?
| WMA property | Acres in Pickens County | First deer hunt, 2026-27 | Deer reported, 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jocassee Gorges WMA | 31,646 | Oct. 1-10 (primitive weapons) | 44 |
| Keowee WMA | 3,784 | Oct. 15-Dec. 22 (archery) | 41 |
| Fants Grove WMA | 1,564 | Oct. 15-Dec. 22 (archery) | 87 |
| Laurel Fork Heritage Preserve WMA | 1,349 | Oct. 1-10 (primitive weapons) | |
| South Saluda WMA | 1,069 | Oct. 1-Jan. 1 (archery) | |
| Mill Shoals WMA | 755 | Oct. 1-Jan. 1 (archery) | |
| Eastatoe Creek Heritage Preserve WMA | 377 | Oct. 1-10 (primitive weapons) |
Acres measured by FilledTag on SCDNR Public Lands property boundaries, U.S. Forest Service land ownership and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundaries. WMA harvest: SCDNR 2024 Deer Harvest Report, Table 4 (WMA harvest).
How does Pickens County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Deer, 2024 | Antlered bucks | Per sq mi of habitat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pickens County | 3,147 | 1,585 | 9.2 |
| Anderson County | 7,773 | 3,798 | 22.7 |
| Greenville County | 4,711 | 2,402 | 10.2 |
| Oconee County | 2,314 | 1,283 | 5.2 |
All from SCDNR 2024 Deer Harvest Report, Table 1 (county harvest).
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Pickens County, South Carolina last season?
3,147 in the 2024 season, by SCDNR's Deer Harvest Report: 1,585 antlered bucks, 149 button bucks, 1,173 does and 241 of unknown sex. These are SC Game Check reports corrected by SCDNR for hunters who did not report.
How does Pickens County's deer harvest compare with other South Carolina counties?
SCDNR puts Pickens County's 2024 harvest at 3,147 deer, 9.2 per square mile of deer habitat against 8.7 statewide. Ordered by SCDNR's harvest figures, that is 32nd of 46 counties by total deer and 18th by deer per square mile.
When is deer season in Pickens County?
On private land: Game Zone 1, primitive weapons Oct. 1-10; gun hunts Oct. 11-Jan. 1. Game Zone 2, archery only Sept. 15-30; primitive weapons Oct. 1-10; gun hunts Oct. 11-Jan. 1. WMAs set their own dates.
Is there public hunting land in Pickens County?
Yes. SCDNR's map puts Jocassee Gorges WMA (31,646 acres in the county), Keowee WMA (3,784 acres in the county), Fants Grove WMA (1,564 acres in the county), Laurel Fork Heritage Preserve WMA (1,349 acres in the county), South Saluda WMA (1,069 acres in the county), Mill Shoals WMA (755 acres in the county) and Eastatoe Creek Heritage Preserve WMA (377 acres in the county) in Pickens County.
Can you hunt deer with dogs in Pickens County?
No. Pickens County is in Game Zone 1 and 2, where hunting deer with dogs is unlawful.
Get a South Carolina hunt plan when they open
South Carolina plans are not open yet. They are coming soon. Join the waiting list; the first 50 hunters get one plan free.
Use the map while you wait for your plan.
Where these numbers come from
- Deer harvest, hunters, days, hogs and coyotes: SCDNR 2024 Deer Harvest Report and earlier reports (SCDNR deer harvest reports).
- Seasons and rules: SCDNR 2026-27 deer seasons on private lands. Public land: SCDNR Public Lands property boundaries. Counties, highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 county boundaries; U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer.
FilledTag is not part of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Numbers are copied from SCDNR and the Census Bureau or measured from public maps; nothing here is estimated by FilledTag.
South Carolina hunting South Carolina deer harvest by county Anderson County Greenville County Oconee County