Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map
Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve WMA is 10,790 acres of public hunting land in Horry County, owned by SCDNR, in Game Zone 4. Hunters reported 23 deer taken on it in the 2024 season (12 antlered bucks and 11 does), by SCDNR's Deer Harvest Report. Its 2026-27 deer seasons are set on SCDNR's Game Zone 4 table: archery, primitive weapons and still gun hunts; the earliest dated hunt is Sept. 15-Oct. 10 (archery).
Data updated October 2026. Seasons: SCDNR's 2026-27 Game Zone 4 WMA table. Harvest: SCDNR's 2024 Deer Harvest Report.
Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve WMAOther SCDNR WMAsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 10,790 acres (measured by FilledTag on SCDNR's mapped boundary) |
|---|---|
| County | Horry County |
| Game zone | Zone 4 |
| Deer hunts | Archery, primitive weapons and still gun hunts |
| Archery deer | Sept. 15-Oct. 10 |
| Still gun deer | Oct. 21-Jan. 1 |
| Dogs for deer | No dog drive hunts listed for the area |
| Spring turkey | April 3 to May 3 (Thurs.-Sat. only), limit 2 |
| Deer reported, 2024 season | 23 (12 antlered bucks and 11 does) |
| Phone | (843) 546-8119 |
| Nearest towns | Briarcliffe Acres (3 mi), Myrtle Beach (4 mi) and Atlantic Beach (5 mi) |
When are the 2026-27 seasons on Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve WMA?
- Horseback riding is prohibited during all big game hunts, including turkey.
| Hunt | Dates, 2026-27 | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Bear Still Hunts (No Dogs) | Oct. 17-30 Tagging & reporting required. | 1 bear; no sow with cubs, no bears 100 lbs. or less. |
| Deer Archery | Sept. 15-Oct. 10 | Statewide WMA limits |
| Deer Primitive Weapons | Oct. 12-20 | Statewide WMA limits |
| Deer Still Gun Hunts | Oct. 21-Jan. 1 | Statewide WMA limits |
| Small Game (including raccoon and opossum) | Nov. 26-Mar. 1 No fox squirrel hunting. | Statewide limits |
Source: SCDNR 2026-27 Game Zone 4 WMA seasons, read October 2026. SCDNR's rules are the final word.
When is turkey season on Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve WMA?
Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve WMA is on SCDNR's list of WMAs open for spring turkey, April 3 to May 3, 2027: Thurs.-Sat. only, limit 2 gobblers.
Source: SCDNR spring 2027 turkey seasons on WMAs.
How many deer are taken on Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve WMA?
Hunters reported 23 deer on Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve WMA in the 2024 season: 12 antlered bucks and 11 does. SCDNR's Table 4 counts the area as 10,097 acres (SCDNR's figure, not the measured size above), about one deer for every 439 acres on that figure.
Source: SCDNR 2024 Deer Harvest Report, Table 4 (WMA harvest).
What does SCDNR say about Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve WMA?
From SCDNR's property page: "Minutes away from humming highways and the neon lights and manicured golf courses of Myrtle Beach, a natural wonderland and oasis flourish at Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve. On this preserve, you might spy animal tracks of deer, raccoon, fox, squirrel, quail and black bear, and, if you're lucky, catch a glimpse of these elusive animals. The preserve has the highest number of black bears anywhere in the state. The University of Tennessee and the S.C. Department of Natural Resources began a joint project in 2008 to determine relative densities of the coastal black bear population."
Source: SCDNR Public Lands, Lewis Ocean Bay HP and WMA, read October 2026.
Which county is Lewis Ocean Bay 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horry County | 10,790 | 4,237 | 5.1 |
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 Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve WMA?
Highways within 5 miles: SC 31, SC 90, US 17 and SC 22. Nearest towns: Briarcliffe Acres (3 miles), Myrtle Beach (4 miles), Atlantic Beach (5 miles) and North Myrtle Beach (6 miles). SCDNR's number for the area: (843) 546-8119.
The closest other South Carolina WMAs with a page here: Waccamaw River Heritage Preserve WMA (next to it), Woodbury WMA (17.7 miles), Little Pee Dee River Heritage Preserve WMA (19.6 miles) and Cartwheel Bay Heritage Preserve WMA (23.5 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve WMA in 2026-27?
Deer Archery: Sept. 15-Oct. 10; Deer Primitive Weapons: Oct. 12-20; Deer Still Gun Hunts: Oct. 21-Jan. 1. From SCDNR's 2026-27 Game Zone 4 table.
Can you hunt deer with dogs on Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve WMA?
No dog drive hunts are listed for Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve WMA on SCDNR's 2026-27 table, so deer are hunted without dogs there.
Can you hunt turkeys on Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve WMA?
Yes. It is on SCDNR's list of WMAs open for spring turkey, April 3 to May 3, 2027: Thurs.-Sat. only, limit 2 gobblers.
What county is Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve WMA in?
Horry County, measured on SCDNR's boundary.
How many deer were killed on Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve WMA last season?
23 in the 2024 season, reported through SC Game Check and corrected by SCDNR for non-reporting: 12 antlered bucks and 11 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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