Landsford Canal Forest Legacy Area WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map
Landsford Canal Forest Legacy Area WMA is 1,433 acres of public hunting land in Chester County, in SCDNR's WMA program, in Game Zone 2. Hunters reported 28 deer taken on it in the 2024 season (17 antlered bucks, 1 button buck and 10 does), by SCDNR's Deer Harvest Report. Its 2026-27 deer seasons are Game Zone 2's seasons for WMAs SCDNR does not list by name: 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.
Landsford Canal Forest Legacy Area WMAOther SCDNR WMAsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 1,433 acres (measured by FilledTag on SCDNR's mapped boundary) |
|---|---|
| County | Chester 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 (regular WMA season) |
| Deer reported, 2024 season | 28 (17 antlered bucks, 1 button buck and 10 does) |
| Phone | (843) 661-4767 |
| Nearest towns | Fort Lawn (4 mi), Van Wyck (5 mi) and Lancaster (6 mi) |
When are the 2026-27 seasons on Landsford Canal Forest Legacy Area WMA?
SCDNR's Game Zone 2 table does not list Landsford Canal Forest Legacy Area WMA by name, so the zone's seasons for its other WMAs are the ones below.
| 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 Landsford Canal Forest Legacy Area 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 Landsford Canal Forest Legacy Area WMA?
Hunters reported 28 deer on Landsford Canal Forest Legacy Area WMA in the 2024 season: 17 antlered bucks, 1 button buck and 10 does. SCDNR's Table 4 counts the area as 1,538 acres (SCDNR's figure, not the measured size above), about one deer for every 55 acres on that figure.
Source: SCDNR 2024 Deer Harvest Report, Table 4 (WMA harvest).
What does SCDNR say about Landsford Canal Forest Legacy Area WMA?
From SCDNR's property page: "The property is located in the northeastern corner of Chester County, SC, on S-12-327, just off US Highway 21 about 12 miles north of Fort Lawn, SC. It surrounds the western portion of Landsford Canal State Park on three sides, with S-12-327 bordering the entire western side of the property. The tract is bounded on the south by Dunn Creek and on the east by the Catawba River and Landsford Canal State Park. The property is situated on the Catawba quadrangle of the USGS 7.5 minute topographical map. The property is comprised of three contiguous tracts separated by paved roads: the north tract, the central tract and the south tract (336 acres)."
Visiting hours: The area is open during daylight hours year-round. Dove Fields and Bird Dog Training Areas open for hunting on certain days. See the Regulations for specific open dates.
Source: SCDNR Public Lands, Landsford Canal Forest Legacy Area, read October 2026.
Which county is Landsford Canal Forest Legacy Area 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chester County | 1,433 | 4,089 | 8.7 |
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 Landsford Canal Forest Legacy Area WMA?
Highways within 5 miles: US 21, SC 9, SC 5 and US 521. Nearest towns: Fort Lawn (4 miles), Van Wyck (5 miles), Lancaster (6 miles) and Richburg (8 miles). SCDNR's number for the area: (843) 661-4767.
The closest other South Carolina WMAs with a page here: Rock Hill Blackjacks Heritage Preserve WMA (8.9 miles), Heritage Tract WMA (10.6 miles), Liberty Hill WMA (14.5 miles) and Draper WMA (15.9 miles).
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt deer with dogs on Landsford Canal Forest Legacy Area WMA?
No. Hunting deer with dogs is unlawful in Game Zones 1 and 2.
What county is Landsford Canal Forest Legacy Area WMA in?
Chester County, measured on SCDNR's boundary.
How many deer were killed on Landsford Canal Forest Legacy Area WMA last season?
28 in the 2024 season, reported through SC Game Check and corrected by SCDNR for non-reporting: 17 antlered bucks, 1 button buck and 10 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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