Aiken Gopher Tortoise Heritage Preserve WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map

Aiken Gopher Tortoise Heritage Preserve WMA is 2,010 acres of public hunting land in Aiken County, owned by SCDNR, in Game Zone 3. Hunters reported 18 deer taken on it in the 2024 season (10 antlered bucks, 2 button bucks and 6 does), by SCDNR's Deer Harvest Report. Its 2026-27 deer seasons are set on SCDNR's Game Zone 3 table: archery and still gun hunts; the earliest dated hunt is Sept. 15-30 (archery).

Data updated October 2026. Seasons: SCDNR's 2026-27 Game Zone 3 WMA table. Harvest: SCDNR's 2024 Deer Harvest Report.

When are the 2026-27 seasons on Aiken Gopher Tortoise Heritage Preserve WMA?

• No buckshot or dogs allowed. All reptiles and amphibians are protected.

Source: SCDNR 2026-27 Game Zone 3 WMA seasons, read October 2026. SCDNR's rules are the final word.

When is turkey season on Aiken Gopher Tortoise Heritage Preserve WMA?

Aiken Gopher Tortoise Heritage Preserve WMA is on SCDNR's list of WMAs open for spring turkey, April 3 to May 3, 2027: limit 2 gobblers.

Source: SCDNR spring 2027 turkey seasons on WMAs.

How many deer are taken on Aiken Gopher Tortoise Heritage Preserve WMA?

Hunters reported 18 deer on Aiken Gopher Tortoise Heritage Preserve WMA in the 2024 season: 10 antlered bucks, 2 button bucks and 6 does. SCDNR's Table 4 counts the area as 1,782 acres (SCDNR's figure, not the measured size above), about one deer for every 99 acres on that figure.

Source: SCDNR 2024 Deer Harvest Report, Table 4 (WMA harvest).

What does SCDNR say about Aiken Gopher Tortoise Heritage Preserve WMA?

From SCDNR's property page: "Be still. Watch. Listen. Open the doors to all your senses and you'll discover a brand new world of wonder and delight at Aiken Gopher Tortoise Heritage Preserve, near Aiken, S.C. The approximately 1,700-acre preserve is home to the rare and state-listed endangered gopher tortoise, a keystone reptile that provides shelter for many other species of animals in its 30-foot long underground burrows, which are about 10 to 15 feet deep. The preserve is the northernmost known location of the large, terrestrial tortoises, which have stumpy, elephantine hind feet."

Visiting hours: Heritage preserves are open for public use from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset. On any preserve that is designated as a wildlife management area, the hours of operation shall be the same as are authorized for hunting as stated in 123-40. The Department may set different operating hours for individual preserves. When operating hours are different from sunrise to sunset, the Department may restrict the hours of operation by publication in Department brochures and pamphlets or by posting on site-specific hours of operation (Reg. No. 123-204C).

Source: SCDNR Public Lands, Aiken Gopher Tortoise HP and WMA, read October 2026.

Which county is Aiken Gopher Tortoise Heritage Preserve WMA in, and what do hunters take there?

Acres measured by FilledTag on SCDNR Public Lands property boundaries and the U.S. Census Bureau 2024 county boundaries. County harvest: SCDNR 2024 Deer Harvest Report, Table 1 (county harvest), for the whole county.

How do you get to Aiken Gopher Tortoise Heritage Preserve WMA?

Highways within 5 miles: SC 4, SC 39, SC 394 and US 78. Nearest towns: Windsor (4 miles), Williston (6 miles), Salley (6 miles) and Springfield (6 miles). SCDNR's number for the area: (803) 722-0464.

The closest other South Carolina WMAs with a page here: Ditch Pond Heritage Preserve WMA (4.4 miles), Henderson Heritage Preserve WMA (18.3 miles), Crackerneck WMA (22 miles) and Sumter National Forest Long Cane Ranger District (34 miles).

Questions hunters ask

When is deer season on Aiken Gopher Tortoise Heritage Preserve WMA in 2026-27?

Deer Archery: Sept. 15-30; Deer Still Gun Hunts: Oct. 1-Jan. 1. From SCDNR's 2026-27 Game Zone 3 table.

Can you hunt deer with dogs on Aiken Gopher Tortoise Heritage Preserve WMA?

No dog drive hunts are listed for Aiken Gopher Tortoise Heritage Preserve WMA on SCDNR's 2026-27 table, so deer are hunted without dogs there.

Can you hunt turkeys on Aiken Gopher Tortoise Heritage Preserve WMA?

Yes. It is on SCDNR's list of WMAs open for spring turkey, April 3 to May 3, 2027: limit 2 gobblers.

What county is Aiken Gopher Tortoise Heritage Preserve WMA in?

Aiken County, measured on SCDNR's boundary.

How many deer were killed on Aiken Gopher Tortoise Heritage Preserve WMA last season?

18 in the 2024 season, reported through SC Game Check and corrected by SCDNR for non-reporting: 10 antlered bucks, 2 button bucks and 6 does.

You need a South Carolina hunting license, a WMA permit and big game tags; statewide WMA limit: 2 deer a day, 5 in all, no more than 2 antlered, unless the area's rules say otherwise; antlerless deer 2 a day. The WMA rules on one page. FilledTag is not part of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources; numbers are copied from SCDNR or measured from public maps, each with its source above.

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