Jocassee Gorges WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map
Jocassee Gorges WMA is 39,294 acres of public hunting land in Pickens and Oconee counties, in SCDNR's WMA program, in Game Zone 1. Hunters reported 44 deer taken on it in the 2024 season (34 antlered bucks, 2 button bucks and 8 does), 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).
Data updated October 2026. Seasons: SCDNR's 2026-27 Game Zone 1 WMA table. Harvest: SCDNR's 2024 Deer Harvest Report.
Jocassee Gorges WMAOther SCDNR WMAsNational forestLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 39,294 acres (measured by FilledTag on SCDNR's mapped boundary); SCDNR's 2024 harvest report gives 33,000 |
|---|---|
| County | Pickens County, Oconee County |
| Game zone | Zone 1 |
| Deer hunts | 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 | 44 (34 antlered bucks, 2 button bucks and 8 does) |
| Phone | (864) 654-1671 |
| Nearest towns | Salem (7 mi), Pickens (8 mi) and Six Mile (10 mi) |
When are the 2026-27 seasons on Jocassee Gorges WMA?
SCDNR's Game Zone 1 table does not list Jocassee Gorges WMA by name, so the zone's seasons for its other WMAs are the ones below. SCDNR's property page says the same: Regular Game Zone 1 seasons apply for hunting.
| 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 No deer hunting on Long Creek Tracts (Oconee Co.) on or after Thanksgiving Day. | statewide WMA limits; all deer must be tagged |
Source: SCDNR 2026-27 Game Zone 1 WMA seasons, read October 2026. SCDNR's rules are the final word.
When is turkey season on Jocassee Gorges 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 Jocassee Gorges WMA?
Hunters reported 44 deer on Jocassee Gorges WMA in the 2024 season: 34 antlered bucks, 2 button bucks and 8 does. SCDNR's Table 4 counts the area as 33,000 acres (SCDNR's figure, not the measured size above), about one deer for every 750 acres on that figure.
Source: SCDNR 2024 Deer Harvest Report, Table 4 (WMA harvest).
What does SCDNR say about Jocassee Gorges WMA?
From SCDNR's property page: "The Jim Timmerman Natural Resources Area at Jocassee Gorges (Jocassee) is South Carolina's premier mountain property. It is located in northern Pickens County and eastern Oconee County and surrounds Lake Jocassee. The property is heavily wooded with hardwood forests and white pine woodlands and contains many streams bordered by large yellow poplar and eastern hemlock. Jocassee is home to many rare and unusual plants and animals. It was purchased by the SCDNR in 1998 because of the unique biology present, the special recreational opportunities it provides, and the simple fact that it is a large, rugged, and remote property."
Closures for hunts: Seasonal access for motorized vehicles is September 15 - January 15 and March 20 - May 10 only. All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) may be used Monday - Friday during those time periods. If an ATV is used on Saturday, all riders must have a hunting license and a WMA permit. No ATVs or other non-licensed vehicles can be used on Sunday. ATVs are prohibited on any road from January 16 to March 19 and May 11 to September 14. The Horsepasture Road (to Jumping-Off-Rock) and Camp Adger Road are open year-round for licensed vehicles only.
Visiting hours: Some roads are open on a seasonal basis.
Source: SCDNR Public Lands, Jocassee Gorges, read October 2026.
Which county is Jocassee Gorges 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pickens County | 31,646 | 3,147 | 9.2 |
| Oconee County | 7,648 | 2,314 | 5.2 |
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 Jocassee Gorges WMA?
Highways within 5 miles: SC 11, US 178, SC 130 and SC 133. Nearest towns: Salem (7 miles), Pickens (8 miles), Six Mile (10 miles) and Liberty (14 miles). SCDNR's number for the area: (864) 654-1671.
The closest other South Carolina WMAs with a page here: Eastatoe Creek Heritage Preserve WMA (next to it), Laurel Fork Heritage Preserve WMA (next to it), Sumter National Forest Andrew Pickens Ranger District (next to it) and Mill Shoals WMA (2.5 miles).
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt deer with dogs on Jocassee Gorges WMA?
No. Hunting deer with dogs is unlawful in Game Zones 1 and 2.
What county is Jocassee Gorges WMA in?
Pickens County (31,646 acres) and Oconee County (7,648 acres), measured on SCDNR's boundary.
How many deer were killed on Jocassee Gorges WMA last season?
44 in the 2024 season, reported through SC Game Check and corrected by SCDNR for non-reporting: 34 antlered bucks, 2 button bucks and 8 does.
Get a South Carolina hunt plan when they open
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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 Pickens County deer harvest Oconee County deer harvest