Donnelley WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map
Donnelley WMA is 8,001 acres of public hunting land in Colleton County, owned by SCDNR, in Game Zone 3. Hunters reported 11 deer taken on it in the 2024 season (8 antlered bucks and 3 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). 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.
Donnelley WMAOther SCDNR WMAsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 8,001 acres (measured by FilledTag on SCDNR's mapped boundary) |
|---|---|
| County | Colleton County |
| Game zone | Zone 3 |
| Deer hunts | Archery and still gun hunts |
| Archery deer | Sept. 15-30 |
| Still gun deer | By lottery only |
| Dogs for deer | No dog drive hunts listed for the area |
| Spring turkey | April 3 to May 3 (Thurs.-Sat. only), limit 1 |
| Deer reported, 2024 season | 11 (8 antlered bucks and 3 does) |
| Phone | (843) 844-8957 |
| Nearest towns | Yemassee (13 mi), Walterboro (13 mi) and Beaufort (15 mi) |
When are the 2026-27 seasons on Donnelley WMA?
- Hunters must sign in and out at the check station. Hunting in designated areas only. Gates will open at 4:00 AM for deer hunts. All hogs harvested must be checked at the check station.
| Hunt | Dates, 2026-27 | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Deer Archery | Sept. 15-30 | Statewide WMA limits |
| Deer Still Gun Hunts | Still gun hunts by lottery only. See WMA Public Lottery Hunts. | |
| Hog Still Gun Hunts | Mar. 2-18, Refer to Reg. 2.16. Gate opens at 5:00 AM | No Limit |
| Hog Hunts (with Dogs) | Mar. 19-26, Refer to Reg. 2.16. Gate opens at 5:00 AM | No Limit |
| Dove | Designated fields on certain days. See Public Dove Fields List. | |
| Raccoon & Opossum | Refer to chart. | Statewide limits |
| Other Small Game | Nov. 26-Mar. 1 Gates will open at 6:00 am. 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 Donnelley WMA?
Donnelley WMA is on SCDNR's list of WMAs open for spring turkey, April 3 to May 3, 2027: Thurs.-Sat. only, limit 1 gobbler. On Pee Dee Station Site WMA, Great Pee Dee River WMA, Woodbury WMA, McBee WMA, Liberty Hill WMA, Donnelley WMA, Worth Mountain, Draper WMA and Marsh WMA all hunters must sign in and sign out.
Source: SCDNR spring 2027 turkey seasons on WMAs.
How many deer are taken on Donnelley WMA?
Hunters reported 11 deer on Donnelley WMA in the 2024 season: 8 antlered bucks and 3 does. SCDNR's Table 4 counts the area as 8,066 acres (SCDNR's figure, not the measured size above), about one deer for every 733 acres on that figure.
| Season | Deer | Bucks | Does | Acres SCDNR counted | Per square mile of those acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 8,066 | 0.9 |
| 2023 | 87 | 38 | 49 | 8,048 | 6.9 |
| 2022 | 97 | 40 | 57 | 8,048 | 7.7 |
| 2021 | 99 | 51 | 48 | 8,048 | 7.9 |
| 2020 | 104 | 50 | 54 | 8,048 | 8.3 |
| 2019 | 68 | 33 | 35 | 8,048 | 5.4 |
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 Donnelley WMA?
From SCDNR's property page: "Donnelley WMA is named in honor of the late Gaylord Donnelley and his wife Dorothy for the contributions they made to the ACE Basin Project and conservation across the continent. Donnelley WMA is owned and managed by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Ducks Unlimited, The National Wild Turkey Federation, US Army Corps of Engineers, The Nature Conservancy and other conservation interests participated in establishing the property."
Closures for hunts: Dove Season: Donnelley will be OPEN to general visitation during the following 2026-2027 Dove Hunts: September 5 and 12 October 3 November 18 January 6 and 20 Deer Season: Donnelley will be Closed to all general visitation during the following 2026-2027 Deer Hunts: Archery Hunts: September 15-30 (Excluding Sundays) Lottery Deer Gun Hunts: October 1-3, 8-10, 15-17, 22-24, 29-31 November 5-7, 12-14, 19-21
Visiting hours: All visitors must wear international orange from Oct. 1 through March 1.
Source: SCDNR Public Lands, Donnelley WMA, read October 2026.
Which county is Donnelley 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 | 8,001 | 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 Donnelley WMA?
Highways through the area: US 17. Nearest towns: Yemassee (13 miles), Walterboro (13 miles), Beaufort (15 miles) and Cottageville (16 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 (3.4 miles), Bear Island WMA (4.5 miles), South Fenwick Island WMA (11.7 miles) and Coosawhatchie Heritage Preserve WMA (15.9 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on Donnelley WMA in 2026-27?
Deer Archery: Sept. 15-30; Deer Still Gun Hunts: 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 Donnelley WMA?
No dog drive hunts are listed for Donnelley WMA on SCDNR's 2026-27 table, so deer are hunted without dogs there.
Can you hunt turkeys on Donnelley WMA?
Yes. It is on SCDNR's list of WMAs open for spring turkey, April 3 to May 3, 2027: Thurs.-Sat. only, limit 1 gobbler.
What county is Donnelley WMA in?
Colleton County, measured on SCDNR's boundary.
How many deer were killed on Donnelley WMA last season?
11 in the 2024 season, reported through SC Game Check and corrected by SCDNR for non-reporting: 8 antlered bucks and 3 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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