2025 SC new laws

[KHNC]

Sorry if this has been posted already. I didnt see it on a quick look.

SC for 2025, is now a two bird limit for Residents and NR's. Only one bird killed in first 10 days of the season. Jakes are no longer legal, and REAPING is now illegal statewide.

Season has also been delayed til April 3-May 3. Our turkey population has went straight to hell in last 7-8 years. Sadly, I am not sure these regs will do a lot of good. I rarely ever see poults on my 70 acres in Cherokee County. Last fall I started trapping coons. Got 16 without much effort. I also spent the last 2 months doing forest stand improvement and expanding my existing plots with a brush cutter on my skid steer. I am hoping the habitat improvement will make a difference for the deer and turkey both. Quail already no longer exist in my area

[Ranger]

Depending on the area, the reaping ban will make a huge difference. And a large majority of Carolina guys were in favor of it getting banned.  In areas where that's heavy they'll see a benefit very quickly

[Zach.Hannigan]

I'm a SC resident. I agree with the jake harvest ( although I wish they would have put a reg in for youth season and kids first harvest ) but that it what it is. Total agree with the reaping on private lands. Been illegal on public for a while but glad to see it outlawed altogether. Where I don't agree is the 3rd tag being taken away. You can pull up the 2024 harvest report and surveys and only 2 percent of the hunting population filled that 3rd tag. Most humters harvest 1 bird and call it season. A small percent will hunt and kill two birds. And they very few, will wake up at 4 or 5 almost every morning of season with one tag left in their vest and go out to play the game. Myself and alot of hunters on this forum fall in that class. I'm not one to have to tag out. However the loss of oppurunity to hunt every single day of our season is a bummer to me. When such a small percentage has the same drive or means. I look at it from the opposing view that'll say well you can be more selective on your hunts and you can extend your season with just two tags. I get that. Oppurtunity is just diminishing every whichaway for the spring turkey hunter across the board. Most the turkwy population is gonna be on private in SC and the harvest as well but our public ground in the upstate and middle of the state is severely under and poorly managed in my opinion. If they are truly worried about our population they could do quite a bit more to improve the habitat where they can. Not to chamge the subject to habitat but that's just an observation I have made.

[KHNC]

I'm a SC resident. I agree with the jake harvest ( although I wish they would have put a reg in for youth season and kids first harvest ) but that it what it is. Total agree with the reaping on private lands. Been illegal on public for a while but glad to see it outlawed altogether. Where I don't agree is the 3rd tag being taken away. You can pull up the 2024 harvest report and surveys and only 2 percent of the hunting population filled that 3rd tag. Most humters harvest 1 bird and call it season. A small percent will hunt and kill two birds. And they very few, will wake up at 4 or 5 almost every morning of season with one tag left in their vest and go out to play the game. Myself and alot of hunters on this forum fall in that class. I'm not one to have to tag out. However the loss of oppurunity to hunt every single day of our season is a bummer to me. When such a small percentage has the same drive or means. I look at it from the opposing view that'll say well you can be more selective on your hunts and you can extend your season with just two tags. I get that. Oppurtunity is just diminishing every whichaway for the spring turkey hunter across the board. Most the turkwy population is gonna be on private in SC and the harvest as well but our public ground in the upstate and middle of the state is severely under and poorly managed in my opinion. If they are truly worried about our population they could do quite a bit more to improve the habitat where they can. Not to chamge the subject to habitat but that's just an observation I have made.

Just to clarify, I too, am a SC resident. I completely agree with the habitat management comment. Cherokee County used to be in the top ten counties for turkey in the state. Now, you can barely see one it seems. Habitat and nest raiders need to be widely addressed. That is why I dont think these regs will make much difference in our area of the upstate.

[kytrkyhntr]

YAY more gov't restrictions that won't really help... just please a few. FWIW anyone that was gonna do it still will. EVENTUALLY this will become no male decoys, then no decoys at all.

[Dtrkyman]

Habitat is king, keep after the improvements!

I like the no reaping!


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[golfernash]

I hate losing the third tag as well but in regards to the reg changes we must remember one thing: DNR really can only regulate limits and opportunity. The can't regulate you to trap more or for you to do a better job of managing your property

[Kygobblergetter]

Ban on Jakes and reaping is a step in the right direction. Pushing seasons back has been proven to make no difference. Taking the third tag is about as dumb as it gets in my opinion.


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[Zach.Hannigan]

The low country got pushed back a week or so. Upstate and mid state got pushed back only 2 days. And they shortened it a week. The research in Tennessee lead by Craig Harper has more than clearly proven that the delayed start has no effect on breeding success that was stated. All the research shows the driving factor in poults hatching and surviving is dominated by habitat. Predators are no doubt a factor to. The only one gobbler within the first 10 days of season isn't new that's been a rule that makes some sense and can be justified. It makes you scratch your head when states make new regs that clearly go against research and statistics that are valid and not outdated. I don't have my own ground to trap or manage the habitat. I almost solely rely on public lands and they just don't do alot of management on them. You'd think a state with such little public land it wouldnt be so difficult to improve quality and maintain but that's not the case on the ground I hunt.

[PharmHunter]

YAY more gov't restrictions that won't really help... just please a few. FWIW anyone that was gonna do it still will. EVENTUALLY this will become no male decoys, then no decoys at all.

We can only hope.

[bwhana]

This is just another version of state laws being changed to put on a show that the state cares about the population and is taking action that we are seeing across the country.

What I really question is why all the focus is on limiting male harvest when all the biologists agree that it does nothing to help the population of birds. The population declines being seen are not due to hunting at all.  If they stopped all hunting for one year, it would not increase the population. Habitat loss/degradation and increased predation are the most important factors affecting nesting and poults living to adulthood, which is THE problem. That takes more effort and $ that the states refuse to do. Please educate me if I'm wrong, but until these are addressed, we are just spitting in the wind with all other efforts.  If the population was better, there wouldn't be the bickering about out of state hunters and the other frivolous things discussed because there would be plenty of birds for everyone.

[kytrkyhntr]

This is just another version of state laws being changed to put on a show that the state cares about the population and is taking action that we are seeing across the country.

What I really question is why all the focus is on limiting male harvest when all the biologists agree that it does nothing to help the population of birds. The population declines being seen are not due to hunting at all.  If they stopped all hunting for one year, it would not increase the population. Habitat loss/degradation and increased predation are the most important factors affecting nesting and poults living to adulthood, which is THE problem. That takes more effort and $ that the states refuse to do. Please educate me if I'm wrong, but until these are addressed, we are just spitting in the wind with all other efforts.  If the population was better, there wouldn't be the bickering about out of state hunters and the other frivolous things discussed because there would be plenty of birds for everyone.

i agree, but its easier to complain about another hunter using a decoy. Ignore the fact that the same ones implementing these "conservation" based laws are the ones lobbying to destroy the habitat and develop develop develop.

[PalmettoRon]

I'm a long time SC resident. First, look at your tags. The second tag can be used after 7 days, not 10. The season opens on April 3rd and the second tag may be used as early as April 10th.

The vast majority of birds are killed on private lands. From July 2023-July 2024, SC had the 4th fastest growth in population among all 50 states.

Here in Greenville County, loss of habitat is proceeding at a fast clip.

I don't see that changing, so enjoy things while you can as turkeys don't thrive on asphalt.

[Zach.Hannigan]

I'm a long time SC resident. First, look at your tags. The second tag can be used after 7 days, not 10. The season opens on April 3rd and the second tag may be used as early as April 10th.

That's true. I reckon I was typing fast and am use to the opener always being on the 1st so now you kill one opening day the wait isn't 10 days anymore it's only 7 like you said. Error on my part. I'm also in Greenville County that being one of the top cities and counties people are flocking too. and yeah they're cutting down timber and throwing up buildings and houses left, right, up, and down. And good luck getting permission on property here unless you or you're family knows a few people.