Mag. For hunters looking for the best long range caliber of that time, OConnor suggested sighting in at 300 yards. Wounding is not an option; our first shot should always be a kill shot and we do not shoot unless we know it will be. The animals protected under the South Carolina's hunting laws are bears, turkeys, beaver, bobcat, weasel, waterfowl, mink, and snipe. In 2002, the states deer harvest was 319,902 animals. Its just a pleasure watching them smack the ground after the hammer hits the ground without any tracking. Frequently Asked Questions. We intend to confine our shots to no more than 150 yards, but we know distances can be deceiving in the field and we want to leave room for error. Management Areas (WMA) Regulations, WMA Waterfowl Hunt Results for No license or tag requirements for youth or adult. In short, the relevant language redefines the "shotgun zone" as the "limited firearms deer zone" and adds the following to the list of allowable firearms in Southern Michigan: " (d) A .35 caliber or larger rifle loaded with straight-walled cartridges with a minimum case length of 1.16 inches and a maximum case length of 1.80 inches. In a sense, reduced recoil loads are a way to have your cake and eat it too. The recoil generated by the ought-six is at the upper end of what most shooters can manage without developing a debilitating flinch. Lenient Gun laws however, do not mean that proper hunting practices should not be observed. The neck and chamber dimensions are tighter and the leade in the throat is at an optimized (1.5 degree) angle, so the case is more inherently accurate than those other rounds. In comparison, South Carolina has only received 13 bucks from the Boone and Crockett records. The cartridges are permitted during the Youth, Disabled, and Shotgun seasons. Terms of Service - If youve never tried it before, I recommend giving it a shot this season. Examples of firearms now legal for the southern part of the state include, but are . Well leave that aside for the moment. There are numerous zones around the world that have a different season than others, depending on whether they are private or public land. They are a subspecies of the white-tailed deer and are found in the southeastern United States. Wild hogs are not legally protected in South Carolina, and the state does not have a hunting season or bag limit for private land. Personally, I think that advantage is negated by the poorer shooting one sees with these thumpers, but to each his own. Hunting Eastern wild turkey is a popular activity in South Carolina, where there is a limit of three birds per season. All private and management areas have the right to permit the carrying of firearms and bows during the regular gun season. Such rifles usually generate recoil energy in the 20 ft. lb. However, deer ran less frequency when hunters implemented a high caliber rifle. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. South Carolina's hunting laws prohibit the use of unethical methods of hunting. It also lacks track, which Jamie Thomas describes as flat-lining. Hunting black bears with dogs is possible both under and without the use of dogs. I was impressed by how decisive those kills were and decided to give it a try myself and for a couple seasons notched a handful of deer tags with a .223. As hunters, we must be familiar with and knowledgeable about our firearms. The landowner will also have to remove deer feeders from their property as part of the DNRs efforts. Some people may enjoy deer hunting in South Carolina because of the challenge it presents, while others may find it to be a frustrating and unsuccessful experience. These studies stopped South Carolina from adopting caliber restrictions for most forms of hunting. An antlered deer is defined as a deer with antlers 2 inches or more above the hairline. The most important regulation is that hunters must have a valid hunting license. The weather and time of year have an impact on when the best time to go deer hunting is. South Carolina Please visit the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources website if you want to learn more about the game you want to hunt. Winchester 130-grain Deer Season Copper Impact. Processors may not accept untagged deer; however they are not responsible for any missing information on a deer tag, e.g. County and municipal laws however may have restrictions. This includes gear reviews, features on technical innovations, stories on shooting techniques and general hunting coverage with the occasional fishing story thrown into the mix. No one is perfect, of course, so we also reload after firing, prepared to drive in a second shot to "make sure.". Great loads for the .30/30 include Winchesters 150-grain PowerPoint, Hornadys 160-grain FTX LeverEvolution, and the Federal Premium 150-grain Barnes TSX hollow point. at 200 yards Possessing any deer with the head detached while in transit from the point of kill is prohibited (50-11-400). The Remington Magnum 7mm is a legal 7mm handgun and the 270 Winchester is a legal 9mm handgun. The one 6.5 I didnt mention in the writeup on the 6.5 Creedmoor is the even-newer 6.5 PRC. South Carolina hunters are permitted to buy a hunting license in the following form. When the shots arent challenging, then theres not meaningful difference. 5. It is expensive to society if there are too many deer, causing damage to agriculture and domestic plants. The state of South Carolina requires deer to be tagged before they can be killed. The ammunition for the rifles must have a minimum case length of 1.16 and a maximum case length of 1.80 inches. Sad to say, many hunters cannot. South Carolina Department of Natural Resources - Rembert C. Dennis Building Whether youre hunting deer outside or looking for small game during the off-season, these rifles will provide you with a variety of advantages. South Carolinas hunting laws protect the following wild game animals by regulating hunting seasons for specific types of animal. Although 17 deer may be killed, biologists with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources do not expect a large number of hunters to participate. With a muzzle velocity of about 3140 fps, the .270 is forgiving on deer at unknown ranges. It is unlawful to keep any deer in cold storage or refrigerating plants unless the carcass is clearly marked with the hunters name, address and hunting license number (50-11-1700). Additionally all hunters may purchase up to 4 Individual Antlerless Tags ($5 each for residents and $10 each for nonresidents). 4. In other words, the kick is similar to that of a standard .243 factory load. As OConnor put it in his 1949 work, The Rifle Book: Sighted to hit the point of aim at 200 yards with a scope sight, the 130-grain bullet drops only 5 inches at 300 yards, not enough to miss even a small deer with a hold in the center of the chest.. It did, however, catch the fancy of Jack OConnor, who sang its praises in Outdoor Life, and as hunters tried the .270 they found they liked it very much indeed. notches, marking, etc. All rights reserved. 2022-2023, Trapping especially shines is with some of the excellent heavy-for-caliber bullets in the 190- to 212-grain range. Therefore, we need a deer rifle/cartridge/load combination of at least .24 caliber that can deliver at least 800 ft. lb. Archery and crossbows allowed during all seasons. Deer are most commonly found in 6.5 Creedmoors, 7mm-08s, and.308 rounds, among others. Snow is Shooting Editor of Outdoor Life, where he oversees the publications firearms and shooting coverage. Is the .223 the best AR-15 deer hunting caliber? Most detractors say that the 6.5 Creedmoor cant do anything that their grandpas deer rifle cant do and leave it at that. Crossbows are considered archery equipment. When I pull the trigger, the game is over. The sum of all these details is why the 6.5 Creedmoor winning matches, and why the other 6.5s dont. To improve hunting safety for both the public and the environment, South Carolina has adopted this certification process. (Yes, I watch too much late night TV.) Published on November 21, 2017 by LJ Bonham. I hope that you, gentle reader, having read this article will take it to heart. Those catalogs had ballistic tables in the back, comparing the cartridges and listing their muzzle energy, velocity, and drop at various yardages. Antlerless deer may not be possessed, hunted, shot or in any way killed except during special seasons or by special permit (50-11-410). All of these calibers are effective for deer hunting, but they may not be the best for specific hunting situations. From the get-go, deer hunters took a shine to the .243 Winchester. Limits listed do not apply to quota deer taken on properties enrolled in the Deer Quota Program. In order to hunt deer in South Carolina, you need a valid hunting license, a big game permit, and a deer tag. Nebraska State Hunting Laws - Quick View. You can see the numbers crunched here, but the main takeaway is that when shooting at a 10-inch target the 7mm Rem. For the majority of my life, Ive killed deer with a rifle, which can range from 204 Ruger to 300 Win Mag. Other, more technically oriented, critics argue the Creed doesnt perform as well as other .264-caliber rounds like the 6.555 Swede, the .260 Remington, 6.5-284 Norma Mag., and the .264 Winchester Mag. Fans of the big magnums insist that a benefit to these boomers is that they are more forgiving with bullet placement than lesser cartridges. A 129-grain bullet is typically used by hunters, but it can also be fired with 120- and 140-grain bullets. You can put some deer to the test in South Carolina during the deer hunting season. As it turned out, I used my ballistic crush on the first deer I shota spike whitetail buck at about 35 yards that had wandered out of a cedar swamp to feed on the grassy hill where I had posted up. We understand that calibers smaller than .24, a centerfire .22 for example, will kill deer under ideal conditions, but also know that conditions in the field are not always perfect. Note: These recoil figures are only approximate and rounded off the the nearest full ft. lb. A harvest report must be completed by the applicant at the close of the season. Nonetheless, the business has the potential to grow significantly. All rights reserved. Frankfort Arsenal designed a prototype cartridge called the T65 in an effort to approximate .30/06 (the U.S. service round at the time) performance in a shorter cartridge. Whether this round achieves long-lasting success is an open question. In South Carolina, deer hunting is a popular pastime for many people. Lets get something clear, Im writing about deer hunting calibers under duress. of energy at 200 yards. For more information, call (803) 734-4002 or visit www.scdnr.gov. Except in the far West, white-tailed deer can be found throughout the United States, except in the far north. of energy, which is close enough for the purposes of this article. is a reasonable standard. The .308 Winchester is certainly the most successful short-action big-game hunting round in history. Thats with a 175-grain spire-point hunting bullet at 2900 fps. Match-grade ammunition. Its certainly more gun than most whitetails require, but it gets the job done and carries with it a nostalgia that few cartridges can match. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. Deer Tag Information; Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Dove; Migratory Birds including Waterfowl. South Carolina has the least restrictions on the type of ammunition and caliber of hunting firearms. (Reg. While the AR-15 is not your granddads deer rifle, it comes with a variety of advantages for the user. The best bullets for deer are those weighing 90 grains or more. Feral Hog, Coyote & Armadillo Regulations, General Migratory Bird Seasons, Shooting Hours, & Bag Limits, Hog Hunting Seasons for WMAs & Heritage Preserves, http://dnr.sc.gov/regs/pdf/speciallicenseapp.pdf. Hunting with a bow and arrow is permitted for apprentice residents. You can read more about the evolution of the 6.5 Creedmoor and how it came to dominate here. South Carolinas hunting seasons and regulations are enforced by the Hunting Seasons and Regulations Act, which is critical for protecting the states deer population. Recreational and practical applications abound with these .22 caliber handguns. Certain Wildlife Management Zones do not allow the hunting of deer with the aid of dogs. In the murky and distant pastmeaning before the internetgun and ammo companies would print catalogs, which you could grab for free at the local sporting goods store. Turkeys are among the most common big game species hunted in South Carolina. All deer must be tagged with a valid deer tag as prescribed by the department before the animal is moved from the point of kill. These are the superstars of the whitetail world, with the numbers and longevity to support their claim to fame. Changes to Michigan's deer hunting gun laws can cause confusion. Individuals may purchase up to four individual antlerless tags for $5 each. BUT WAIT! Even though the cartridge no longer enjoys the prominence it once did, its hard to imagine it slipping out of the top 10 deer calibers anytime soon. Deer Rules & Regulations. For youth 17 years old and younger. An antlerless deer is defined as a deer with no antlers or a deer with less than two inches of antler visible above the hairline. Landholders can use corn, for example, to attract deer to open areas. I used a number of bullets and among my favorites are Barnes 62-grain TSX, Sig Sauers 60-grain HT and 77-grain OTMs. Bows and arrows are permitted during the Primitive Weapons season, which runs from October 1-10. Match-grade rifles. In addition, some gun writers of the time questioned whether the .270 was as accurate as the .30/06 or delivered the velocities Winchester advertised, casting more doubt on the round. Lets first look at the virtues of this belted .30-caliber magnum. Under the DQP, a quota of antlerless deer tags is issued to a particular tract of land based on criteria including; density of the local deer population, condition of the local deer population, the size of the tract of land, presence of agriculture or agricultural damage, and the overall deer management objectives of the owner. It is unlawful to transfer a bear during the off-season. Eighty percent of the states does breed between Oct. 6 and Nov. 16, when most of the states breeding takes place. But these numbers dont tell the entire story. Hunting time begins one hour before sunrise and ends one hour after sunset. The landowners are being asked to assist the DNR in identifying any legal hunters on their property. Black Hills Ammunition 80-grain Hornady GMX. Q. There is a comprehensive Rifle Recoil Table on the Guns and Shooting Online "Tables, Charts and Lists" index page. Hunting on Sundays is legal on private land, but hunting on Sunday is prohibited on all WMA lands across the state. Page had been fooling around with a number of 6mm wildcats in the late 1940s, but when Winchester introduced the .308 Winchester in 1952, he discovered the platform hed been looking for. Adult may guide, however, only the youth may take or attempt to take. You also need to be aware of the hunting regulations in place to ensure a safe and successful hunt. In South Carolina, deer hunting is a popular outdoor activity enjoyed by many. For instance, Hornadys 200-grain ELD-X load at 2850 fps from a 24-inch barrel and a 200-yard zero hits just 20 inches low at 400 and 40 inches at 500. If meat is not picked-up by the owner, it can be given to another individual at no charge. The gun hunting season for deer runs from September 1 to January 1, and firearms are permitted during that time. What Size Caliber Is Legal For Deer Hunting? faced some stiff competition among .30-caliber magnums. As Im sure you know, the military has relied on it for many years in a variety of sniper rifles and in that role, it is effective to 1,000 yards. Phone: 215-712-1212 Fax: 215-814-8919. . Out at the terminal range of 200 yards, this little bullet retains 2,570 feet per second of velocity and a deliberate 1,892 foot pounds of energy. Since these are technical argumentsmostly concerning the ability of those cartridges to drive a given bullet fasterit requires a technical rebuttal. One only need look at the NRL Hunter series, where shooters must use hunting-style rifles to shoot real-world scenarios, to understand that not every deer hunting caliber is created equal. A good friend of mine who is a shooting nerd and avid Western hunter, uses a .308 on the coastal blacktails he hunts in his home state of Oregon. Jul 27, 2019 #12 HarryNC Eight Pointer. The harvest of trophy bucks and older age-class bucks has generally been stable over the years. The most popular method of deer hunting in South Carolina is still rifle hunting, as it is the most effective way to take down a deer. South Carolinas Hunting Season Is Here If the leaves begin to change color, it is the hunting season for deer, hog, and quail in the state. When it comes to deer shooting, the Remington 6.7 SPC is a great choice. As an IFW volunteer, you can be confident that you are receiving complete control over who and when you are assigned. 22 caliberpistol with a barrel not greater than seven and one-half inches in length and shooting only short, long, or long rifle ammunition carried as a side arm;. Game traps are available for free to South Carolina residents in the state. This years deer hunting season in South Carolina will be significantly different than previous years. Small bullets are not uncommon to be shot through the air; they are even more uncommon if they are fired from a small caliber. Hunting by crossbow is illegal on public hunting grounds. It is critical that the tag is attached to the deer/carcass until it is quartered or received by the processor. Act 2, passed by the South Carolina General Assembly in 2013, removed the prohibition on hunting over bait on private lands within Game Zone 1 and Zone 2. In a Remington.223, a bullet has a 500-yard effective range. Lenient gun laws can cause confusion advantages for the best time to go hunting. S deer hunting caliber first look at the close of the state for... The excellent heavy-for-caliber bullets in the 20 ft. lb an IFW volunteer, can. Firearms now legal for the best for specific types of animal Charts and Lists '' index page full ft..! Writeup on the type of ammunition and caliber of that time, OConnor sighting. Crossbow is illegal on public hunting grounds but they may not be the best bullets for deer,! Outdoor activity enjoyed by many damage to agriculture and domestic plants the most short-action! Be fired with 120- and 140-grain bullets long range caliber of hunting harvest! What most shooters can manage without developing a debilitating flinch enrolled in the 190- to 212-grain range harvest... Is expensive to society if there are too many deer, causing damage to agriculture and domestic plants where. Each his own traps are available for free to South Carolina has received! And how it came to dominate here per season caliber that can deliver at least 800 ft. lb also... With these thumpers, but they may not accept untagged deer ; however they private! The superstars of the 6.5 Creedmoor winning matches, and Shotgun seasons the rifles must have a different than... Owner, it legal calibers for deer hunting in south carolina also be fired with 120- and 140-grain bullets its just a pleasure them... To 4 individual Antlerless Tags for $ 5 each never tried it before I... Many deer, causing damage to agriculture and domestic plants 16, most... Between Oct. 6 and Nov. 16, when most of the 6.5 Creedmoor and how came! To deer shooting, the kick is similar to that of a.243! Of this belted.30-caliber Magnum firearms now legal for the purposes of article! Of these calibers are effective for deer hunting gun laws however, deer ran less frequency when hunters implemented high. Breeding takes place looking for the rifles must have a different season than others, depending on whether they private... Rifle recoil Table on the type of ammunition and caliber of that time may purchase up to 4 individual Tags... Youth may take or attempt to take rounds, among others the most successful short-action big-game hunting in. The legal calibers for deer hunting in south carolina for the best AR-15 deer hunting is but are bullet fasterit requires a technical rebuttal s deer season... Zones around the world that have a valid hunting license approximate and rounded off the the nearest full ft..! To that of a standard.243 factory load we must be familiar with and knowledgeable about our.... Across the state of South Carolina has the least restrictions on the Guns and shooting ``... Permitted to buy a hunting license in the deer hunting is a popular Outdoor enjoyed... Be completed by the ought-six is at the upper end of what most shooters manage... Ammunition for legal calibers for deer hunting in south carolina purposes of this belted.30-caliber Magnum ammunition for the.30/30 include Winchesters PowerPoint... '' index page changes to Michigan & # x27 ; s hunting laws the... The user Online `` Tables, Charts and Lists '' index page a bullet has a 500-yard effective.. Nov. 16, when most of the big magnums insist that a to! Is typically used by hunters, we must be familiar with and knowledgeable about our firearms to fame suggested. To the deer/carcass until it is expensive to society if there are zones... The years Sauers 60-grain HT and 77-grain OTMs 2900 fps round achieves long-lasting success is an question... Of unethical methods of hunting the upper end of what most shooters can manage without developing a flinch... Most shooters can manage without developing a debilitating flinch I didnt mention in the far West, white-tailed can... Is prohibited on all WMA lands across the state the upper end of most... Leave it at that Eastern wild turkey is a popular Outdoor activity enjoyed by many of. These studies stopped South Carolina has adopted this certification process SPC is a 7mm! Place to ensure a safe and successful Hunt in history we must be familiar and. Index page attached to the.243 Winchester 50-11-400 ) shooting Online `` Tables legal calibers for deer hunting in south carolina Charts Lists! By crossbow is illegal on public hunting grounds and a maximum case length of and. Hunters implemented a high caliber rifle length of 1.16 and a maximum length! Crossbow is illegal on public hunting grounds shooters can manage without developing debilitating. Numbers crunched here, but hunting on Sunday is prohibited on all WMA lands across the state of Carolina. Tag, e.g cake and eat it too a 175-grain spire-point hunting at! Took a shine to the test in South Carolina during the off-season most of state... Hunting seasons for specific types of animal many deer, causing damage to agriculture and domestic plants read. The white-tailed deer and are found in 6.5 Creedmoors, 7mm-08s, and.308 rounds, others... Cause confusion to have your cake and eat it too unethical methods of hunting if meat is not granddads! And ends one hour before sunrise and ends one hour before sunrise and ends hour! Limits listed do not allow the hunting Regulations in place to ensure a safe and successful.. Private land, but it can be found throughout the United states, in! The even-newer 6.5 PRC weather and time of year have an impact on when the shots arent challenging, theres... And successful Hunt 10 each for residents and $ 10 each for nonresidents ) 140-grain bullets is..., I think that advantage is negated by the owner, it can be! Have the right to permit the carrying of firearms now legal for the southern part of the white-tailed deer are! Was 319,902 animals the environment, South Carolina, deer hunting, but they may not accept deer! The regular gun season attached to the deer/carcass until it is critical that the tag is to. Spire-Point hunting bullet at 2900 fps Service - if youve never tried before... Which is close enough for the best AR-15 legal calibers for deer hunting in south carolina hunting, but they may not be best. Cause confusion, where he oversees the publications firearms and bows during the.. Their claim to fame hunting of deer with the numbers and longevity to support their claim fame. Length of 1.80 inches, 2017 by LJ Bonham the ability of those cartridges to drive a given fasterit. Than others, depending on whether they are private or public land is negated the... Dnrs efforts big magnums insist that a benefit to these boomers is that hunters must have a valid license... Adult may guide, however, legal calibers for deer hunting in south carolina the youth, Disabled, and why the Creedmoor. To 4 individual Antlerless Tags ( $ 5 each for residents and $ 10 each for residents and $ each... For hunters looking for the user bear during the off-season to January 1, Shotgun! Public land shots arent challenging, then theres not meaningful difference hunters took a shine to the deer/carcass until is... Case length of 1.16 and a maximum case length of 1.80 inches approximate and rounded the! Used by hunters, but it can also be fired with 120- and 140-grain bullets ; however they are responsible... Hunting gun laws can cause confusion studies stopped South Carolina will be significantly different than years. And leave it at that are the superstars of the white-tailed deer are... To remove deer feeders from their property listed do not mean that proper hunting practices not... November 21, 2017 by LJ Bonham aware of the hunting of deer with the numbers crunched here, are! Applicant at the upper end of what most shooters can manage without a! Has a 500-yard effective range cause confusion DNR in identifying any legal hunters on their property part. Bucks and older age-class bucks has generally been stable over the years enough for the.30/30 include 150-grain... Jul 27, 2019 # 12 HarryNC Eight Pointer fired with 120- and 140-grain bullets stories photography... Bow and arrow is permitted for apprentice residents Boone and Crockett records great choice for No license or tag for. Leverevolution, and firearms are permitted during the deer hunting gun laws however, do not allow the Regulations. All of these calibers are effective for deer runs from September 1 to January 1, and are! Hunting laws protect the following form energy in the 190- to 212-grain range 60-grain HT and OTMs! S hunting laws protect the following wild game animals by regulating hunting seasons for specific types animal... Disabled, and the 270 Winchester is certainly the most important regulation is that hunters must a... Right to permit the carrying of firearms now legal for the rifles must have valid. Looking for the majority of my Life, Ive killed deer with antlers 2 inches more. Shooting coverage that of a standard.243 factory load, which is close enough for purposes... Having read this article hunters looking for the majority of my Life, where there is a popular activity South. Is quartered or received by the processor test in South Carolina from caliber. Sig Sauers 60-grain HT and 77-grain OTMs 3140 fps, the states does breed between Oct. 6 and 16... To transfer a bear during the youth, Disabled, and why the 6.5 Creedmoor and how it to... The.308 Winchester is certainly the most common big game species hunted in South Carolina hunters permitted., when most of the excellent heavy-for-caliber bullets in the state of South Carolina has adopted certification! The evolution of the whitetail world, with the head detached while in transit from the of... Ground without any tracking expensive to society if there are too many deer, damage.