Francis Marion National Forest WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map
Francis Marion National Forest WMA is 267,977 acres of public hunting land in Berkeley and Charleston counties, U.S. Forest Service land in SCDNR's WMA program, in Game Zone 3. Hunters reported 857 deer taken on it in the 2024 season (484 antlered bucks, 58 button bucks and 315 does), by SCDNR's Deer Harvest Report. SCDNR splits it into 5 WMAs with their own dates: Hellhole WMA, Northampton WMA, Santee WMA, Wambaw WMA and Waterhorn WMA. Its 2026-27 deer seasons are set on SCDNR's Game Zone 3 table: archery, still gun hunts, dog drive hunt, youth only dog hunt, Seewee Special Use Area (no dogs) Archery Only, archery only and primitive weapons; the earliest dated hunt is Sept. 11-12 (dog drive hunt, Santee WMA).
Data updated October 2026. Seasons: SCDNR's 2026-27 Game Zone 3 WMA table. Harvest: SCDNR's 2024 Deer Harvest Report.
Francis Marion National Forest WMAOther SCDNR WMAsNational forestNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 267,977 acres (measured by FilledTag on SCDNR's mapped boundary), in 5 parts |
|---|---|
| County | Berkeley County, Charleston County |
| Game zone | Zone 3 |
| National forest land in it | 264,562 acres (measured on the Forest Service map) |
| Deer hunts | Archery, still gun hunts, dog drive hunt, youth only dog hunt, Seewee Special Use Area (no dogs) Archery Only, archery only and primitive weapons |
| Archery deer | Sept. 15-Oct. 10 |
| Still gun deer | Oct. 12-Jan. 1 (Hellhole WMA) |
| Dogs for deer | Dog drive hunts on set dates only (below) |
| Spring turkey | April 3 to May 3 (WMA land only), limit 2 |
| Deer reported, 2024 season | 857 (484 antlered bucks, 58 button bucks and 315 does) |
| Sunday hunting | Allowed October 15 to January 31 for species in season |
| Phone | (843) 825-3387 |
| Nearest towns | Jamestown (next to it), Awendaw (next to it) and Bonneau (next to it) |
When are the 2026-27 seasons on Francis Marion National Forest WMA?
Hellhole WMA
| Hunt | Dates, 2026-27 | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Deer Archery | Sept. 15-Oct. 10 | statewide WMA limits; all deer must be tagged; all deer must be reported via SC Game Check. |
| Deer Still Gun Hunts | Oct. 12-Jan. 1 No still hunting during scheduled dog drive hunts. | statewide WMA limits; all deer must be tagged; all deer must be reported via SC Game Check. |
| Deer Dog Drive Hunt | Nov. 7, Dec. 5 buck only No still hunting and no rifles. | statewide WMA limits; all deer must be tagged; all deer must be reported via SC Game Check. |
| Youth Only Dog Hunt | Nov. 14 buck only | statewide WMA limits; all deer must be tagged; all deer must be reported via SC Game Check. |
Northampton WMA
| Hunt | Dates, 2026-27 | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Deer Archery | Sept. 15-Oct. 10 | statewide WMA limits; all deer must be tagged; all deer must be reported via SC Game Check. |
| Deer Still Gun Hunts | Oct. 12-Jan. 1 (No still hunting during scheduled dog drive hunts.) | statewide WMA limits; all deer must be tagged; all deer must be reported via SC Game Check. |
| Deer Dog Drive Hunt | Sept. 26, Oct. 7-8, Nov. 27, Dec. 29 buck only Dec. 12 either sex. Hunters may use one (1) Individual Antlerless Deer Tag. | statewide WMA limits; all deer must be tagged; all deer must be reported via SC Game Check. |
| Youth Only Dog Hunt | Nov. 28 buck only | statewide WMA limits; all deer must be tagged; all deer must be reported via SC Game Check. |
Santee WMA
| Hunt | Dates, 2026-27 | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Deer Archery | Sept. 15-Oct. 10 | statewide WMA limits; all deer must be tagged; all deer must be reported via SC Game Check. |
| Deer Still Gun Hunts | Oct. 12-Jan. 1 (No still hunting during scheduled dog drive hunts.) | statewide WMA limits; all deer must be tagged; all deer must be reported via SC Game Check. |
| Deer Dog Drive Hunt | Sept. 11-12, Oct. 21-22, Dec. 4 buck only Dec. 12 either sex. Hunters may use one (1) Individual Antlerless Deer Tag. | statewide WMA limits; all deer must be tagged; all deer must be reported via SC Game Check. |
| Youth Only Dog Hunt | Oct. 17 buck only | statewide WMA limits; all deer must be tagged; all deer must be reported via SC Game Check. |
Wambaw WMA
| Hunt | Dates, 2026-27 | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Seewee Special Use Area (no dogs) Archery Only | Sept. 15-Jan. 1 | statewide WMA limits; all deer must be tagged; all deer must be reported via SC Game Check. |
| Deer Archery | Sept. 15-Oct. 10 | statewide WMA limits; all deer must be tagged; all deer must be reported via SC Game Check. |
| Deer Still Gun Hunts | Oct. 12-Jan. 1 (No still hunting during scheduled dog drive hunts.) No buckshot. | statewide WMA limits; all deer must be tagged; all deer must be reported via SC Game Check. |
| Deer Dog Drive Hunt | Sept. 25, Oct. 10, Nov. 18-19, Dec. 26, 28 buck only Dec. 12 either sex. Hunters may use one (1) Individual Antlerless Deer Tag. No deer hunting with dogs east of HWY 17. | statewide WMA limits; all deer must be tagged; all deer must be reported via SC Game Check. |
| Youth Only Dog Hunt | Nov. 21 buck only | statewide WMA limits; all deer must be tagged; all deer must be reported via SC Game Check. |
Waterhorn WMA
| Hunt | Dates, 2026-27 | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Deer Archery Only | Sept. 15-Oct. 10 | statewide WMA limits; all deer must be tagged; all deer must be reported via SC Game Check. |
| Deer Primitive Weapons | Oct. 12-20 | statewide WMA limits; all deer must be tagged; all deer must be reported via SC Game Check. |
| Deer Still Gun Hunts | Nov. 6-Jan. 1 (Fridays and Saturdays only) | statewide WMA limits; all deer must be tagged; all deer must be reported via SC Game Check. |
Across the Francis Marion Hunt Unit
- Hunt unit rules: Fairlawn (in Wambaw & Northampton) and Tibwin special use area (in Wambaw) is closed to hunting except for special hunts. Hunting is allowed on Sundays Oct. 15-Jan. 31 for species that are in season and listed below. No waterfowl hunting on Sunday. No deer hunting with dogs on Sunday. All deer harvested must be reported to SC Game Check. During still gun hunts for deer, there shall be no hunting or shooting from, on, or across any road open to vehicle traffic. No buckshot is allowed on still gun hunts. Shotguns and buckshot only during dog drive hunts. No still gun or archery hunting during deer dog drive hunts. On youth deer hunts, only youths 17 and younger may carry a gun and must be accompanied by an adult 21 years old or older.
- Hog Hunts with dogs: Mar. 15-20, May 17-22 Refer to Reg. 2.16.
- Still hog hunts no dogs: Mar. 1-6, Refer to Reg. 2.16. No Buckshot.
- Small game: Refer to WMA seasons in chart. Dogs are allowed during small game gun season only. Closed during scheduled deer hunting periods on Waterhorn and when dogs are used for deer on Wambaw, Northampton, Hellhole and Santee WMAs. No fox or coyote hunting with dogs on the Francis Marion NF.
Source: SCDNR 2026-27 Game Zone 3 WMA seasons, read October 2026. SCDNR's rules are the final word.
When is turkey season on Francis Marion National Forest WMA?
Francis Marion National Forest WMA is on SCDNR's list of WMAs open for spring turkey, April 3 to May 3, 2027: WMA land only, limit 2 gobblers (listed as Francis Marion Hunt Unit).
Source: SCDNR spring 2027 turkey seasons on WMAs.
How many deer are taken on Francis Marion National Forest WMA?
Hunters reported 857 deer on Francis Marion National Forest WMA in the 2024 season: 484 antlered bucks, 58 button bucks and 315 does. SCDNR's Table 4 counts the area as 259,000 acres (SCDNR's figure, not the measured size above), about one deer for every 302 acres on that figure.
| Season | Deer | Bucks | Does | Acres SCDNR counted | Per square mile of those acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 857 | 542 | 315 | 259,000 | 2.1 |
| 2023 | 285 | 151 | 134 | 252,578 | 0.7 |
| 2022 | 217 | 123 | 93 | 252,578 | 0.5 |
| 2021 | 246 | 97 | 149 | 252,578 | 0.6 |
| 2020 | 239 | 94 | 145 | 252,578 | 0.6 |
| 2019 | 235 | 125 | 110 | 252,578 | 0.6 |
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 Francis Marion National Forest WMA?
From SCDNR's property page: "The Francis Marion National Forest consists of 258,816 acres in Berkeley County and northern Charleston County and is owned by the U.S. Forest Service. This large area is divided into five Wildlife Management Areas (WMA's) in order to manage its highly diverse habitats for many different user groups. The Santee, Hellhole, Northampton, Wambaw and Waterhorn WMA's all provide opportunities for hunters and general nature lovers alike. Deer hunting with dogs, still deer hunting, small game hunting and turkey hunting are among the most popular activities on the Francis Marion."
Closures for hunts: Waterfowl Hunting Open Dates: Monday through Saturday during the State waterfowl season; closed on Waterhorn during any scheduled deer hunt.
Visiting hours: See the US Forest Service website for more information about access on Francis Marion National Forest.
Source: SCDNR Public Lands, Hellhole WMA; SCDNR Public Lands, Northampton WMA; SCDNR Public Lands, Santee WMA; SCDNR Public Lands, Wambaw WMA; SCDNR Public Lands, Waterhorn WMA, read October 2026.
Which county is Francis Marion National Forest 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berkeley County | 197,567 | 5,557 | 6.3 |
| Charleston County | 70,410 | 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 Francis Marion National Forest WMA?
Highways through the area: SC 41, US 17, US 701 and SC 45. Nearest towns: Jamestown (next to it), Awendaw (next to it), Bonneau (next to it) and Moncks Corner (next to it). SCDNR's number for the area: (843) 825-3387.
The closest other South Carolina WMAs with a page here: Santee Coastal Reserve WMA (next to it), Bonneau Ferry WMA (next to it), Santee Island WMA (next to it) and Wee Tee WMA (next to it).
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on Francis Marion National Forest WMA in 2026-27?
Deer Archery (Hellhole WMA): Sept. 15-Oct. 10; Deer Still Gun Hunts (Hellhole WMA): Oct. 12-Jan. 1; Deer Dog Drive Hunt (Hellhole WMA): Nov. 7, Dec. 5 buck only; Youth Only Dog Hunt (Hellhole WMA): Nov. 14 buck only; Deer Archery (Northampton WMA): Sept. 15-Oct. 10; Deer Still Gun Hunts (Northampton WMA): Oct. 12-Jan. 1 (No still hunting during scheduled dog drive hunts.); more dates in the table above. From SCDNR's 2026-27 Game Zone 3 table.
Can you hunt deer with dogs on Francis Marion National Forest WMA?
Only on its dog drive hunt dates: deer dog drive hunt (Hellhole WMA), Nov. 7, Dec. 5 buck only No still hunting and no rifles; youth only dog hunt (Hellhole WMA), Nov. 14 buck only; deer dog drive hunt (Northampton WMA), Sept. 26, Oct. 7-8, Nov. 27, Dec. 29 buck only Dec. 12 either sex. Hunters may use one (1) Individual Antlerless Deer Tag; youth only dog hunt (Northampton WMA), Nov. 28 buck only; deer dog drive hunt (Santee WMA), Sept. 11-12, Oct. 21-22, Dec. 4 buck only Dec. 12 either sex. Hunters may use one (1) Individual Antlerless Deer Tag; youth only dog hunt (Santee WMA), Oct. 17 buck only; deer dog drive hunt (Wambaw WMA), Sept. 25, Oct. 10, Nov. 18-19, Dec. 26, 28 buck only Dec. 12 either sex. Hunters may use one (1) Individual Antlerless Deer Tag. No deer hunting with dogs east of HWY 17; youth only dog hunt (Wambaw WMA), Nov. 21 buck only.
Can you hunt turkeys on Francis Marion National Forest WMA?
Yes. It is on SCDNR's list of WMAs open for spring turkey, April 3 to May 3, 2027: WMA land only, limit 2 gobblers.
What county is Francis Marion National Forest WMA in?
Berkeley County (197,567 acres) and Charleston County (70,410 acres), measured on SCDNR's boundary.
How many deer were killed on Francis Marion National Forest WMA last season?
857 in the 2024 season, reported through SC Game Check and corrected by SCDNR for non-reporting: 484 antlered bucks, 58 button bucks and 315 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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