Sumter National Forest Andrew Pickens Ranger District: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map
Sumter National Forest Andrew Pickens Ranger District is 83,744 acres of public hunting land in Oconee County, U.S. Forest Service land in SCDNR's WMA program, in Game Zone 1. Its 2026-27 deer seasons are set on SCDNR's Game Zone 1 table: primitive weapons, archery 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.
Sumter National Forest Andrew Pickens Ranger DistrictOther SCDNR WMAsNational forestLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 83,744 acres (measured by FilledTag on SCDNR's mapped boundary) |
|---|---|
| County | Oconee County |
| Game zone | Zone 1 |
| National forest land in it | 83,215 acres (measured on the Forest Service map) |
| Deer hunts | Primitive weapons, archery 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) |
| Sunday hunting | Allowed October 15 to January 31 for species in season |
| Phone | (864) 654-1671 |
| Nearest towns | Salem (3 mi), Walhalla (4 mi) and West Union (5 mi) |
When are the 2026-27 seasons on Sumter National Forest Andrew Pickens Ranger District?
Long Creek Tract
- Game Zone 1 seasons, except small game only between Thanksgiving Day and Mar. 1.
| Hunt | Dates, 2026-27 | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Small Game | Game Zone 1 WMA seasons and limits. Refer to chart. |
- Hunting is allowed on Sundays Oct. 15 - Jan. 31 for species that are in season and listed below. No waterfowl hunting on Sunday.
| Hunt | Dates, 2026-27 | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Deer Primitive Weapons | Oct. 1-10 | statewide WMA limits; all deer must be tagged |
| Deer Archery | Oct. 17-30 | statewide WMA limits; all deer must be tagged |
| Deer Still Gun Hunts | Oct. 12-16, Oct. 31-Jan. 1 | statewide WMA limits; all deer must be tagged |
| Bear | Refer to other WMAs above for seasons and limits | |
| Small Game | Game Zone 1 WMA seasons and limits. Refer to chart. | Statewide limits |
| Hog Hunts (with dogs) | Jan. 2-9, Mar. 20-27 Refer to regulation 2.16. | No limit |
| Raccoon & Opossum | Game Zone 1 WMA seasons and limits. Refer to chart. |
Source: SCDNR 2026-27 Game Zone 1 WMA seasons, read October 2026. SCDNR's rules are the final word.
When is turkey season on Sumter National Forest Andrew Pickens Ranger District?
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 Sumter National Forest Andrew Pickens Ranger District?
SCDNR reports Sumter National Forest Andrew Pickens Ranger District together with Sumter National Forest Enoree Ranger District and Sumter National Forest Long Cane Ranger District as "USFS Sumter National Forest": 1,439 deer in the 2024 season on 375,000 acres (790 antlered bucks, 91 button bucks and 558 does). The figure is for all of that land, not this part alone.
Long Creek Tracts, part of Sumter National Forest Andrew Pickens Ranger District: 14 deer in the 2024 season (7 antlered bucks, 1 button buck and 6 does) on 500 acres by SCDNR's figure.
Source: SCDNR 2024 Deer Harvest Report, Table 4 (WMA harvest).
What does SCDNR say about Sumter National Forest Andrew Pickens Ranger District?
From SCDNR's property page: "The Andrew Pickens Ranger District is comprised of approximately 85,000 acres in Oconee County."
- Sumter National Forest is a Category II Waterfowl Area.
Visiting hours: See the Sumter National Forest Andrew Pickens Ranger District website for visitation guidelines.
Source: SCDNR Public Lands, Sumter National Forest - Andrew Pickens Ranger District, read October 2026.
Which county is Sumter National Forest Andrew Pickens Ranger District in, and what do hunters take there?
| County | Acres of the area in it | County deer, 2024 season | Per square mile of deer habitat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oconee County | 83,744 | 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 Sumter National Forest Andrew Pickens Ranger District?
Highways through the area: SC 107. Nearest towns: Salem (3 miles), Walhalla (4 miles), West Union (5 miles) and Westminster (6 miles). SCDNR's number for the area: (864) 654-1671.
The closest other South Carolina WMAs with a page here: Brasstown Creek Heritage Preserve WMA (next to it), Buzzard Roost Heritage Preserve WMA (next to it), Stumphouse Mountain Heritage Preserve WMA (next to it) and Jocassee Gorges WMA (next to it).
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on Sumter National Forest Andrew Pickens Ranger District in 2026-27?
Deer Primitive Weapons: Oct. 1-10; Deer Archery: Oct. 17-30; Deer Still Gun Hunts: Oct. 12-16, Oct. 31-Jan. 1. From SCDNR's 2026-27 Game Zone 1 table.
Can you hunt deer with dogs on Sumter National Forest Andrew Pickens Ranger District?
No. Hunting deer with dogs is unlawful in Game Zones 1 and 2.
Can you hunt turkeys on Sumter National Forest Andrew Pickens Ranger District?
Yes, in SCDNR's regular WMA season, April 3 to May 3, 2027, limit 2 gobblers, no more than 1 a day and 1 before April 10.
What county is Sumter National Forest Andrew Pickens Ranger District in?
Oconee County, measured on SCDNR's boundary.
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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