Forty Acre Rock Heritage Preserve WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map
Forty Acre Rock Heritage Preserve WMA is 3,490 acres of public hunting land in Lancaster County, owned by SCDNR, in Game Zone 2. Hunters reported 52 deer taken on it in the 2024 season (33 antlered bucks and 19 does), by SCDNR's Deer Harvest Report. Its 2026-27 deer seasons are Game Zone 2's general WMA seasons, as SCDNR's table gives them for it: youth deer hunt day, archery only, primitive weapons and still gun hunts; the earliest dated hunt is Sept. 15-30 (archery only).
Data updated October 2026. Seasons: SCDNR's 2026-27 Game Zone 2 WMA table. Harvest: SCDNR's 2024 Deer Harvest Report.
Forty Acre Rock Heritage Preserve WMAOther SCDNR WMAsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 3,490 acres (measured by FilledTag on SCDNR's mapped boundary); SCDNR's WMA list and 2024 harvest report give 2,965 |
|---|---|
| County | Lancaster County |
| Game zone | Zone 2 |
| Deer hunts | Youth deer hunt day, archery only, primitive weapons and still gun hunts |
| Archery deer | Sept. 15-30 |
| Still gun deer | Oct. 12-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 |
| Deer reported, 2024 season | 52 (33 antlered bucks and 19 does) |
| Phone | (803) 419-9374 |
| Nearest towns | Jefferson (4 mi), Kershaw (7 mi) and Heath Springs (8 mi) |
When are the 2026-27 seasons on Forty Acre Rock Heritage Preserve WMA?
| Hunt | Dates, 2026-27 | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Deer | Game Zone 2 WMA Seasons | Statewide WMA limits |
| Small Game | WMA seasons and limits. |
Deer: Game Zone 2's general WMA seasons
SCDNR's table gives Forty Acre Rock Heritage Preserve WMA's deer seasons as "Game Zone 2 WMA Seasons", which are these:
| Hunt | Dates, 2026-27 | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Youth Deer Hunt Day | Jan. 2 (see Youth & Mobility Impaired WMAs) | 2 deer total |
| Archery only | Sept. 15-30 | statewide WMA limits; all deer must be tagged |
| Deer Primitive Weapons | Oct. 1-10 | statewide WMA limits; all deer must be tagged |
| Still Gun Hunts | Oct. 12-Jan. 1 | statewide WMA limits; all deer must be tagged |
Source: SCDNR 2026-27 Game Zone 2 WMA seasons, read October 2026. SCDNR's rules are the final word.
When is turkey season on Forty Acre Rock Heritage Preserve WMA?
Forty Acre Rock Heritage Preserve WMA is on SCDNR's list of WMAs open for spring turkey, April 3 to May 3, 2027: limit 2 gobblers (listed as Forty-Acre Rock HP WMA).
Source: SCDNR spring 2027 turkey seasons on WMAs.
How many deer are taken on Forty Acre Rock Heritage Preserve WMA?
Hunters reported 52 deer on Forty Acre Rock Heritage Preserve WMA in the 2024 season: 33 antlered bucks and 19 does. SCDNR's Table 4 counts the area as 2,965 acres (SCDNR's figure, not the measured size above), about one deer for every 57 acres on that figure.
Source: SCDNR 2024 Deer Harvest Report, Table 4 (WMA harvest).
What does SCDNR say about Forty Acre Rock Heritage Preserve WMA?
From SCDNR's property page: "Standing atop the gigantic granitic rock, you feel on top of the world, or close to it. On a clear day, you can seemingly see forever from the crest of Forty Acre Rock in Lancaster County, where the Sandhills meet the Piedmont. The rock seems bigger than life, larger than its actual 14 acres. The entire Forty Acre Rock Heritage Preserve encompasses of the most diverse protected area in the Piedmont region, including granitic flatrocks, waterslides, waterfalls, beaver pond, caves, hardwood and pine forests, and a variety of wildflowers and wildlife."
- Camping is prohibited.
Source: SCDNR Public Lands, Forty Acre Rock HP and WMA, read October 2026.
Which county is Forty Acre Rock 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster County | 3,490 | 4,407 | 10.6 |
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 Forty Acre Rock Heritage Preserve WMA?
Highways through the area: US 601. Nearest towns: Jefferson (4 miles), Kershaw (7 miles), Heath Springs (8 miles) and Pageland (9 miles). SCDNR's number for the area: (803) 419-9374.
The closest other South Carolina WMAs with a page here: Angelus WMA (9.6 miles), Sand Hills State Forest WMA (13 miles), Campbells Crossroads WMA (15 miles) and McBee WMA (16.7 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on Forty Acre Rock Heritage Preserve WMA in 2026-27?
Youth Deer Hunt Day: Jan. 2 (see Youth & Mobility Impaired WMAs); Archery only: Sept. 15-30; Deer Primitive Weapons: Oct. 1-10; Still Gun Hunts: Oct. 12-Jan. 1. From SCDNR's 2026-27 Game Zone 2 table.
Can you hunt deer with dogs on Forty Acre Rock Heritage Preserve WMA?
No. Hunting deer with dogs is unlawful in Game Zones 1 and 2.
Can you hunt turkeys on Forty Acre Rock 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 Forty Acre Rock Heritage Preserve WMA in?
Lancaster County, measured on SCDNR's boundary.
How many deer were killed on Forty Acre Rock Heritage Preserve WMA last season?
52 in the 2024 season, reported through SC Game Check and corrected by SCDNR for non-reporting: 33 antlered bucks and 19 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 Lancaster County deer harvest