Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map
Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve WMA is 3,167 acres of public hunting land in Charleston County, in SCDNR's WMA program, in Game Zone 3. Hunters reported 24 deer taken on it in the 2024 season (14 antlered bucks, 1 button buck and 9 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-Oct. 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.
Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve WMAOther SCDNR WMAsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 3,167 acres (measured by FilledTag on SCDNR's mapped boundary); SCDNR's WMA list and 2024 harvest report give 4,687 |
|---|---|
| County | Charleston County |
| Game zone | Zone 3 |
| Deer hunts | Archery and still gun hunts |
| Archery deer | Sept. 15-Oct. 10, Nov. 23-28, Dec. 21-26 |
| Still gun deer | By lottery only |
| Dogs for deer | No dog drive hunts listed for the area |
| Quality deer management | Antlered deer must have a minimum 4 points on one side or a minimum 12" inside antler spread. |
| Spring turkey | Not on SCDNR's list of WMAs open for turkey |
| Deer reported, 2024 season | 24 (14 antlered bucks, 1 button buck and 9 does) |
| Phone | (843) 844-8957 |
| Nearest towns | Seabrook Island (2 mi), Rockville (3 mi) and Edisto Beach (4 mi) |
When are the 2026-27 seasons on Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve WMA?
- Quality Deer Management Area Antlered deer must have a minimum 4 points on one side or a minimum 12" inside antler spread. All hunters, fishermen and visitors must obtain a day use pass, fill out the requested information and follow all instructions on the pass. Hunting access by boat is prohibited.
| Hunt | Dates, 2026-27 | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Deer Archery | Sept. 15-Oct. 10, Nov. 23-28, Dec. 21-26 | Statewide WMA limits |
| Deer Still Gun Hunts | Still gun hunts by lottery only. See WMA Public Lottery Hunts. | |
| Other Small Game (including raccoon and opossum) | Jan. 2-Feb. 27 (Wed. thru Sat. only) No fox squirrel hunting. | Statewide limits |
| Dove | Designated fields on certain days. See Public Dove Fields List. |
Source: SCDNR 2026-27 Game Zone 3 WMA seasons, read October 2026. SCDNR's rules are the final word.
When is turkey season on Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve WMA?
Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve 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 Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve WMA?
Hunters reported 24 deer on Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve WMA in the 2024 season: 14 antlered bucks, 1 button buck and 9 does. SCDNR's Table 4 counts the area as 4,687 acres (SCDNR's figure, not the measured size above), about one deer for every 195 acres on that figure.
| Season | Deer | Bucks | Does | Acres SCDNR counted | Per square mile of those acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 24 | 15 | 9 | 4,687 | 3.3 |
| 2023 | 31 | 12 | 19 | 2,000 | 9.9 |
| 2022 | 32 | 17 | 15 | 2,000 | 10.2 |
| 2021 | 60 | 24 | 36 | 2,000 | 19.2 |
| 2020 | 52 | 25 | 27 | 2,000 | 16.6 |
| 2019 | 45 | 12 | 33 | 2,000 | 14.4 |
SCDNR's acreage for the area changed between reports (4,687 and 2,000 acres), so per square mile figures from years with different acres are not like for like. 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 Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve WMA?
From SCDNR's property page: "The 4,687 acre Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve and Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is located adjacent to the waters of the Atlantic Ocean in the northeast corner of Edisto Island in lower Charleston County, South Carolina. The area lies near the North Edisto River just south of the intensely developed resort islands of Kiawah and Seabrook and just north of the rapidly developing Edisto Beach area. The SC Department of Natural Resources acquired this property and opened it to the public in 2008."
- All visitors are required to obtain a day use pass at the kiosk located at the main gate off Botany Bay Road.
- There are no restroom facilities or trash disposal on the property.
- No natural items or cultural artifacts may be collected or removed from Botany (including the beach); this includes shells, fossils, pottery, plants, fungi, etc.
- Dogs and horses are not permitted on the causeway or beach at any time.
- Bicycles are NOT permitted to be ridden on the beach.
- They must be parked at the end of the causeway by the entrance of the beach.
- Only 15-passenger vans and smaller are allowed to tour the property due to the fragile nature of the road system.
- Fishing at Jason's Lake is only open Friday through Sunday for adult-youth (17 years old and younger) catch and release fishing.
Closures for hunts: Botany Bay Plantation will be CLOSED to all general visitation for the following deer and dove hunts in 2026: Dove Hunts Youth/Adult Only: September 5 and 12 October 3 November 14 January 9 and 23 (2027) Archery Deer Hunts: September 15 - October 10 November 23-28 December 21-26 Lottery Deer Gun Hunts: October 12-14 and 19-21 November 2-4 and 9-11 December 7-9 and 14-16
Visiting hours: The area is open for general public visitation during daylight hours (1 hour before sunrise to 1 hour after sunset). The area is CLOSED on Tuesdays and for scheduled special hunts. Please see the Calendar of Events to stay up-to-date on property closures and public programs. The beach (also known as Boneyard Beach) is only accessible at low tide. Please check a tide chart if you're planning on going to the beach.
Source: SCDNR Public Lands, Botany Bay HP and WMA, read October 2026.
Which county is Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston County | 3,167 | 2,905 | 6.4 |
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 Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve WMA?
Highways within 5 miles: SC 174 and SC 700. Nearest towns: Seabrook Island (2 miles), Rockville (3 miles), Edisto Beach (4 miles) and Meggett (8 miles). SCDNR's number for the area: (843) 844-8957.
The closest other South Carolina WMAs with a page here: South Fenwick Island WMA (5.9 miles), Bear Island WMA (7.3 miles), St. Helena Sound Heritage Preserve WMA (7.4 miles) and Dungannon Plantation Heritage Preserve WMA (12.3 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve WMA in 2026-27?
Deer Archery: Sept. 15-Oct. 10, Nov. 23-28, Dec. 21-26; Deer Still Gun Hunts: Still gun hunts by lottery only. See WMA Public Lottery Hunts. From SCDNR's 2026-27 Game Zone 3 table.
What is a legal buck on Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve WMA?
Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve WMA is a quality deer management area: antlered deer must have a minimum 4 points on one side or a minimum 12" inside antler spread. 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.
Can you hunt deer with dogs on Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve WMA?
No dog drive hunts are listed for Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve WMA on SCDNR's 2026-27 table, so deer are hunted without dogs there.
Can you hunt turkeys on Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve 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 Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve WMA in?
Charleston County, measured on SCDNR's boundary.
How many deer were killed on Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve WMA last season?
24 in the 2024 season, reported through SC Game Check and corrected by SCDNR for non-reporting: 14 antlered bucks, 1 button buck and 9 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.
South Carolina hunting All South Carolina WMAs Charleston County deer harvest