(A193, R198, S1051)

AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 50-11-580, RELATING TO THE SEASON FOR HUNTING AND TAKING MALE WILD TURKEYS, BAG LIMITS, TAKING FEMALE WILD TURKEYS, AND ANNUAL REPORTING, SO AS TO ADJUST THE HUNTING AND LIMIT FOR TAKING MALE WILD TURKEYS, AND TO PROVIDE A SUNSET PROVISION; BY AMENDING SECTION 50-25-1330, RELATING TO WATERCRAFT RESTRICTIONS ON LAKE H. TAYLOR BLALOCK, SO AS TO EXTEND THE HUNTING OF WATERFOWL FOR FIVE YEARS; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 50-13-675, RELATING TO NONGAME FISHING DEVICES OR GEAR PERMITTED IN CERTAIN BODIES OF WATER, SO AS TO PERMIT HOOP NETS IN THE CONGAREE RIVER AND THE UPPER REACH OF THE SANTEE RIVER.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Season for hunting and taking male wild turkey

SECTION 1.    Section 50-11-580 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

Section 50-11-580.    (A) The season for hunting and taking a male wild turkey is April 10 through May 10.

(B) The season bag limit for male wild turkeys is two statewide for residents and two statewide for nonresidents. The daily bag limit is one.

(C) It is unlawful for a person to take a female wild turkey unless authorized by the department pursuant to Section 50-11-500(3).

(D) The department shall provide an annual report on wild turkey resources in South Carolina to the Chairman of the Senate Fish, Game and Forestry Committee and the Chairman of the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.

Season for hunting and taking male wild turkey

SECTION 2.    Section 50-11-580(A) and (B) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

(A) The season for hunting and taking a male wild turkey is:

(1) in Game Zones 1 and 2, April 1 through May 10; and

(2) in Game Zones 3 and 4, March 22 through April 30.

(B) The season bag limit for male wild turkeys is three statewide for residents and two statewide for nonresidents. The daily bag limit is one, provided that:

(1) only one male wild turkey may be taken from April 1 through April 10 from within Game Zones 1 and 2; and

(2) only one male wild turkey may be taken from March 22 through March 31 from within Game Zones 3 and 4.

Enforceability

SECTION 3.    The amendments in this act of Sections 1 and 2 of Section 50-11-580 of the S.C. Code do not affect pending actions, rights, duties, or liabilities founded thereon, or alter, discharge, release or extinguish any penalty, forfeiture, or liability incurred under Sections 1 and 2 of Section 50-11-580. After the effective dates included in this act, the provisions of law referred to as amended by this act must be taken and treated as remaining in full force and effect for the purpose of sustaining any pending or vested right, civil action, special proceeding, criminal prosecution, or appeal existing as of the applicable effective dates of this act, and for the enforcement of rights, duties, penalties, forfeitures, and liabilities as they stood under the amended laws.

Time effective

SECTION 4.    Section 1 of this act takes effect January 1, 2025. Section 2 of this act takes effect January 1, 2030.

Watercraft restrictions on Lake H. Taylor Blalock

SECTION 5.    Section 50-25-1330(B) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

(B) It is unlawful on Lake H. Taylor Blalock to:

(1) operate personal watercraft, including jet skis;

(2) operate any boat, watercraft, or any other type of vessel between midnight and one hour before sunrise, except that public access to Lake H. Taylor Blalock for the purpose of hunting waterfowl on department-leased premises shall be open on Wednesday mornings during the federal waterfowl hunting season beginning at 5:00 a.m., provided the hunting of waterfowl shall no longer be allowed on Lake H. Taylor Blalock after the 2028-2029 federal waterfowl hunting season, unless reauthorized in statute;

(3) operate any boat, watercraft, or any other type of vessel with an outboard motor having horsepower in excess of the United States Coast Guard rating for the watercraft or with the Coast Guard rating plate missing or changed;

(4) operate, anchor, moor, or dock any boat, watercraft, or allow such vessel to enter within five hundred feet of any pump station, water intake of a dam, hydroelectric generator outfall, or spillways, and these restricted areas must be clearly marked with signs designed and installed by the Spartanburg Water System. Boats, watercraft, and other vessels operated for law enforcement, emergency medical service, or dam maintenance and repair are exempted from this requirement;

(5) operate, anchor, moor, or dock any boat, watercraft, or any other type of vessel within one hundred fifty feet of public fishing piers;

(6) operate sailing craft with a mast height in excess of thirty feet;

(7) wade, bathe, or swim within two hundred feet of any public landing, bridge, or restricted area, and these restricted areas must be clearly marked with signs designed and installed by the Spartanburg Water System.

Nongame fishing devices or gear permitted in the Congaree River

SECTION 6.    Section 50-13-675(9) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

(9) Congaree River:

(a) set hooks:

(i) recreational license-fifty;

(ii) commercial license-fifty;

(b) traps:

(i) recreational license-two;

(ii) commercial license-ten;

(c) trotlines:

(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;

(ii) commercial license-three lines with one hundred fifty hooks maximum;

(d) hoop nets:

(i) recreational license-residents sixty-five years of age or older-one;

(ii) the provisions contained in Section 50-13-675(9)(d) expire on January 1, 2030;

Nongame fishing devices or gear permitted in the Upper Reach of the Santee River

SECTION 7.    Section 50-13-675(23) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

(23) Lakes Marion and Moultrie, and the upper reach of the Santee River:

(a) traps:

(i) recreational license-two;

(ii) commercial license-twenty-five;

(b) trotlines: Hooks must have a gap or clearance between point and shank no greater than seven-sixteenths inch:

(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;

(ii) commercial license-three lines with not more than four hundred hooks on each line;

(c) set hooks: Recreational license-Upper Reach of the Santee River-fifty hooks. The use of set hooks in the Upper Reach of the Santee River as described in this item expire on January 1, 2030.

Time effective

SECTION 8.    SECTIONS 3 and 5 of this act take effect upon approval by the Governor.

Ratified the 15th day of May, 2024.

Approved the 21st day of May, 2024.

This web page was last updated on June 24, 2024 at 3:27 PM