Chestnut Ridge Heritage Preserve WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map
Chestnut Ridge Heritage Preserve WMA is 2,653 acres of public hunting land in Greenville County, in SCDNR's WMA program, in Game Zone 1. Hunters reported 11 deer taken on it in the 2024 season (10 antlered bucks and 1 doe), by SCDNR's Deer Harvest Report. Its 2026-27 deer seasons are Game Zone 1's seasons for WMAs SCDNR does not list by name: youth deer hunt day, primitive weapons, archery only and still gun hunts; the earliest dated hunt is Oct. 1-10 (primitive weapons). SCDNR lists the Glassy Mountain Archery Only Area on its own: archery Oct. 1-Jan. 1.
Data updated October 2026. Seasons: SCDNR's 2026-27 Game Zone 1 WMA table. Harvest: SCDNR's 2024 Deer Harvest Report.
Chestnut Ridge Heritage Preserve WMAOther SCDNR WMAsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 2,653 acres (measured by FilledTag on SCDNR's mapped boundary); SCDNR's 2024 harvest report gives 2,047 |
|---|---|
| County | Greenville County |
| Game zone | Zone 1 |
| Deer hunts | Archery on the Glassy Mountain Archery Only Area, youth deer hunt day, primitive weapons, archery only and still gun hunts |
| Archery deer | Oct. 17-30 |
| Still gun deer | Oct. 12-16, Oct. 31-Jan. 1 |
| Dogs for deer | No; deer hunting with dogs is unlawful in Game Zones 1 and 2 |
| Spring turkey | April 3 to May 3, limit 2 (regular WMA season) |
| Deer reported, 2024 season | 11 (10 antlered bucks and 1 doe) |
| Phone | (864) 654-1671 |
| Nearest towns | Landrum (5 mi), Campobello (6 mi) and Inman (11 mi) |
When are the 2026-27 seasons on Chestnut Ridge Heritage Preserve WMA?
SCDNR's Game Zone 1 table does not list Chestnut Ridge Heritage Preserve WMA by name, so the zone's seasons for its other WMAs are the ones below; SCDNR lists the Glassy Mountain Archery Only Area by name, with its own dates further down.
| Hunt | Dates, 2026-27 | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Youth Deer Hunt Day | Jan. 2 (see Youth & Mobility Impaired Hunts WMAs) | 2 deer total |
| Deer Primitive Weapons | Oct. 1-10 | statewide WMA limits; all deer must be tagged |
| Archery only | Oct. 17-30 | statewide WMA limits; all deer must be tagged |
| Still Gun Hunts | Oct. 12-16, Oct. 31-Jan. 1 | statewide WMA limits; all deer must be tagged |
Glassy Mountain Archery Only Area
- Located on the southwest side of the South Pacolet River and west of the junction of the South Pacolet River and its main tributary creek as posted.
| Hunt | Dates, 2026-27 | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Deer (no dogs) | Oct. 1-Jan. 1 Archery | Statewide WMA limits |
| Raccoon & Opossum | Game Zone 1 WMA seasons and limits. Refer to chart. |
Source: SCDNR 2026-27 Game Zone 1 WMA seasons, read October 2026. SCDNR's rules are the final word.
When is turkey season on Chestnut Ridge Heritage Preserve WMA?
SCDNR opens the regular WMAs in all four game zones, Forest Service land included, 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 Chestnut Ridge Heritage Preserve WMA?
Hunters reported 11 deer on Chestnut Ridge Heritage Preserve WMA in the 2024 season: 10 antlered bucks and 1 doe. SCDNR's Table 4 counts the area as 2,047 acres (SCDNR's figure, not the measured size above), about one deer for every 186 acres on that figure.
Source: SCDNR 2024 Deer Harvest Report, Table 4 (WMA harvest).
What does SCDNR say about Chestnut Ridge Heritage Preserve WMA?
From SCDNR's property page: "Owned and managed by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, the 1,886-acre Chestnut Ridge Heritage Preserve bears the name of a prominent mountain within its boundaries. That mountain harbors the white irisette, Sisyrinchium dichotomum, a perennial, designated as federally endangered. The plant has leaves that appear as forked blades; its flowers are diminutive and pale white. The plants grow in rich basic or neutral soils. The property varies from early successional forest, left from clear cutting by the previous owner, to mature upland and cove hardwoods."
- Part of the property is open to archery hunting only, called the Glassy Mountain Archery Only Area (see the map).
- The trail is for hiking only.
- Mountain bikes, horses, motorized vehicles and camping are prohibited on the preserve.
Source: SCDNR Public Lands, Chestnut Ridge HP WMA, read October 2026.
Which county is Chestnut Ridge 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville County | 2,653 | 4,711 | 10.2 |
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 Chestnut Ridge Heritage Preserve WMA?
Highways within 5 miles: SC 11, SC 14, SC 414 and SC 101. Nearest towns: Landrum (5 miles), Campobello (6 miles), Inman (11 miles) and Lyman (13 miles). SCDNR's number for the area: (864) 654-1671.
The closest other South Carolina WMAs with a page here: Tall Pines WMA (12.9 miles), Ashmore Heritage Preserve WMA (14.4 miles) and Eva Russell Chandler Heritage Preserve WMA (16.7 miles).
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt deer with dogs on Chestnut Ridge Heritage Preserve WMA?
No. Hunting deer with dogs is unlawful in Game Zones 1 and 2.
What county is Chestnut Ridge Heritage Preserve WMA in?
Greenville County, measured on SCDNR's boundary.
How many deer were killed on Chestnut Ridge Heritage Preserve WMA last season?
11 in the 2024 season, reported through SC Game Check and corrected by SCDNR for non-reporting: 10 antlered bucks and 1 doe.
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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