Bear Island WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map
Bear Island WMA is 12,055 acres of public hunting land in Colleton County, owned by SCDNR, in Game Zone 3. Hunters reported 1 deer taken on it in the 2024 season (1 antlered buck and 0 does), by SCDNR's Deer Harvest Report. Its 2026-27 deer seasons are set on SCDNR's Game Zone 3 table: archery and gun hunts (rifles only); the earliest dated hunt is Oct. 1-10 (archery). Some deer hunts are by SCDNR lottery only.
Data updated October 2026. Seasons: SCDNR's 2026-27 Game Zone 3 WMA table. Harvest: SCDNR's 2024 Deer Harvest Report.
Bear Island WMAOther SCDNR WMAsNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 12,055 acres (measured by FilledTag on SCDNR's mapped boundary); SCDNR's 2024 harvest report gives 1,519 |
|---|---|
| County | Colleton County |
| Game zone | Zone 3 |
| Deer hunts | Archery and gun hunts (rifles only) |
| Archery deer | Oct. 1-10 |
| Still gun deer | By lottery only (rifles only) |
| Dogs for deer | No dog drive hunts listed for the area |
| Spring turkey | Not on SCDNR's list of WMAs open for turkey |
| Deer reported, 2024 season | 1 (1 antlered buck and 0 does) |
| Phone | (843) 844-8957 |
| Nearest towns | Edisto Beach (8 mi), Meggett (9 mi) and Rockville (11 mi) |
When are the 2026-27 seasons on Bear Island WMA?
- All hunters must sign in and out at the Bear Island check station. Hunting in designated areas only. Campground closes Nov. 2 and is for Bear Island deer hunters only.
| Hunt | Dates, 2026-27 | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | Oct. 1-10 | Statewide WMA limits |
| Gun Hunts (rifles only) | Still gun hunts by lottery only. See WMA Public Lottery Hunts. | |
| Hog Hunts (with Dogs) | Mar. 4-6 Refer to Reg. 2.16. Gate opens at 5:00 AM | No Limit |
| Small Game (including raccoon and opossum) | Feb. 8-Mar. 1 No fox squirrel hunting. | Statewide limits |
Source: SCDNR 2026-27 Game Zone 3 WMA seasons, read October 2026. SCDNR's rules are the final word.
When is turkey season on Bear Island WMA?
Bear Island WMA is not on SCDNR's 2026-27 list of WMAs open for spring turkey. Check SCDNR's property page before planning a turkey hunt there.
Source: SCDNR spring 2027 turkey seasons on WMAs.
How many deer are taken on Bear Island WMA?
Hunters reported 1 deer on Bear Island WMA in the 2024 season: 1 antlered buck and 0 does. SCDNR's Table 4 counts the area as 1,519 acres (SCDNR's figure, not the measured size above), about one deer for every 1,519 acres on that figure.
| Season | Deer | Bucks | Does | Acres SCDNR counted | Per square mile of those acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1,519 | 0.4 |
| 2023 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 1,519 | 4.2 |
| 2022 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 1,519 | 7.2 |
| 2021 | 15 | 8 | 7 | 1,519 | 6.3 |
| 2020 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 1,519 | 5.1 |
| 2019 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 1,519 | 2.9 |
2024: SC Game Check reports corrected for non-reporting (Table 4); FilledTag works out the per square mile figure from SCDNR's deer and acres. 2019 to 2023: SCDNR's check station counts for the area, as printed in each year's report. Bucks in 2024 are antlered and button bucks added together. Some totals include deer of unknown sex.
Source: SCDNR 2024 Deer Harvest Report, Table 4 (WMA harvest) and the reports for 2019 to 2023 (SCDNR deer harvest reports).
What does SCDNR say about Bear Island WMA?
From SCDNR's property page: "Bear Island Wildlife Management Area, owned by the SC Department of Natural Resources, is managed to provide quality habitat for wintering waterfowl and other wetland wildlife including threatened and endangered species such as woodstorks and bald eagles; to provide habitat for upland game and nongame species; and to provide recreational opportunities for the hunting and nonhunting public. Public hunting on the WMA includes waterfowl and white-tailed deer (by special drawing only), as well as small game. The diverse area provides excellent bird watching, attracting, waterfowl, bald eagles, wading birds, shorebirds and song birds."
Closures for hunts: Bear Island WMA will be CLOSED to all public access for the following deer hunts: Archery Deer Hunts: October 1-10 (Excluding Sundays) Lottery Deer Gun Hunts: October 15-17, 22-24, and 29-31 Bear Island WMA will be CLOSED to all public access from November 1 through February 8, except for scheduled hunts.
Visiting hours: The area will be Open for general public visitation during daylight hours in designated areas from February 9 - October 31 (except during designated hunt periods) Fishing/crabbing allowed April 1 through September 30 No cast nets, no crab traps, must possess a valid SC saltwater fishing license.
Source: SCDNR Public Lands, Bear Island WMA, read October 2026.
Which county is Bear Island WMA in, and what do hunters take there?
| County | Acres of the area in it | County deer, 2024 season | Per square mile of deer habitat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colleton County | 12,055 | 6,136 | 7.8 |
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 Bear Island WMA?
Highways within 5 miles: SC 174. Nearest towns: Edisto Beach (8 miles), Meggett (9 miles), Rockville (11 miles) and Seabrook Island (12 miles). SCDNR's number for the area: (843) 844-8957.
The closest other South Carolina WMAs with a page here: St. Helena Sound Heritage Preserve WMA (next to it), South Fenwick Island WMA (3.2 miles), Donnelley WMA (4.5 miles) and Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve WMA (7.3 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on Bear Island WMA in 2026-27?
Archery: Oct. 1-10; Gun Hunts (rifles only): Still gun hunts by lottery only. See WMA Public Lottery Hunts. From SCDNR's 2026-27 Game Zone 3 table.
Can you hunt deer with dogs on Bear Island WMA?
No dog drive hunts are listed for Bear Island WMA on SCDNR's 2026-27 table, so deer are hunted without dogs there.
Can you hunt turkeys on Bear Island WMA?
It is not on SCDNR's 2026-27 list of WMAs open for spring turkey; check SCDNR's property page before planning a turkey hunt.
What county is Bear Island WMA in?
Colleton County, measured on SCDNR's boundary.
How many deer were killed on Bear Island WMA last season?
1 in the 2024 season, reported through SC Game Check and corrected by SCDNR for non-reporting: 1 antlered buck and 0 does.
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.
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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