Open today, Nov. 11, 2026
- Deer: Gun · closes Jan. 1, 2027
- Small game: Squirrel (gray and fox) · closes Mar. 1, 2027
- Small game: Raccoon and opossum · closes Mar. 15, 2027
- Dove and waterfowl: Rails, gallinules and moorhens · closes Nov. 28, 2026
Opening in the next month
- Dove and waterfowl: Mourning dove · opens Nov. 13, 2026
- Dove and waterfowl: Common snipe · opens Nov. 14, 2026
- Dove and waterfowl: Ducks, mergansers and coots · opens Nov. 21, 2026
- Dove and waterfowl: Canada geese · opens Nov. 21, 2026
- Dove and waterfowl: Snow and white-fronted geese · opens Nov. 21, 2026
- Small game: Quail · opens Nov. 23, 2026
- Small game: Rabbit · opens Nov. 26, 2026
- Small game: Fox · opens Nov. 26, 2026
- Small game: Bobcat · opens Nov. 26, 2026
Deer
Game Zone 4, private land. Official dates and limits
| Season | Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Archery only | Aug. 15, 2026 – Aug. 31, 2026Antlered bucks only Aug. 15 – Sept. 14. | Season over |
| Gun | Sept. 1, 2026 – Jan. 1, 2027Antlered bucks only Sept. 1 – 14. Game Zone 4 has no separate muzzleloader season. | Open, closes Jan. 1 |
| Youth deer hunt days | Aug. 8, 2026Jan. 2, 2027Aug. 8 antlered only, limit one; Jan. 2 either sex, limit two. | Opens Jan. 2, 2027 |
Turkey
Statewide, private land. Official dates and limits
| Season | Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Spring gobbler | Apr. 3, 2027 – May 3, 2027Some wildlife management areas are more restrictive. | Opens Apr. 3, 2027 |
| Youth weekends | Mar. 27, 2027 – Mar. 28, 2027May 8, 2027 – May 9, 2027The weekend before the season opens and the weekend after it closes. | Opens Mar. 27, 2027 |
Small game
All game zones, guns and dogs season. Official dates and limits
| Season | Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Squirrel (gray and fox) | Oct. 1, 2026 – Mar. 1, 2027Youth day Sept. 26, 2026. | Open, closes Mar. 1 |
| Rabbit | Nov. 26, 2026 – Mar. 1, 2027Youth day Mar. 6, 2027. | Opens in 15 days |
| Quail | Nov. 23, 2026 – Mar. 1, 2027Youth day Nov. 21, 2026. | Opens in 12 days |
| Raccoon and opossum | Sept. 15, 2026 – Mar. 15, 2027Youth day Sept. 12, 2026. | Open, closes Mar. 15 |
| Fox | Nov. 26, 2026 – Mar. 1, 2027Night hunting only. | Opens in 15 days |
| Bobcat | Nov. 26, 2026 – Mar. 1, 2027 | Opens in 15 days |
Dove and waterfowl
Statewide; federal stamps and HIP permit apply. Official dates and limits
| Season | Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Mourning dove | Sept. 5, 2026 – Oct. 3, 2026Nov. 13, 2026 – Nov. 28, 2026Dec. 18, 2026 – Jan. 31, 2027Three splits. | Opens in 2 days |
| Early teal | Sept. 19, 2026 – Sept. 27, 2026 | Season over |
| Ducks, mergansers and coots | Nov. 21, 2026 – Nov. 28, 2026Dec. 12, 2026 – Jan. 31, 2027State youth day Nov. 14, 2026; youth and veteran days Feb. 6 and Feb. 13, 2027. | Opens in 10 days |
| Canada geese | Sept. 1, 2026 – Sept. 30, 2026Nov. 21, 2026 – Nov. 28, 2026Dec. 12, 2026 – Jan. 31, 2027Feb. 15, 2027 – Mar. 1, 2027 | Opens in 10 days |
| Snow and white-fronted geese | Nov. 21, 2026 – Nov. 28, 2026Dec. 12, 2026 – Jan. 31, 2027Feb. 15, 2027 – Mar. 1, 2027 | Opens in 10 days |
| Rails, gallinules and moorhens | Sept. 10, 2026 – Sept. 15, 2026Sept. 26, 2026 – Nov. 28, 2026 | Open, closes Nov. 28 |
| Common snipe | Nov. 14, 2026 – Feb. 28, 2027 | Opens in 3 days |
| Woodcock | Dec. 18, 2026 – Jan. 31, 2027 | Opens Dec. 18, 2026 |
Not listed here
- Bear. Game Zone 4's bear season covers Florence, Georgetown, Horry, Marion and Williamsburg counties only. There is no bear season in Sumter County. Details
- Wild hog. Hog rules depend on the property and permit. See the guide. Details
- Wildlife management areas. Public land in Game Zone 4 has its own, usually shorter, dates. Details
About these dates
The dates above are a summary of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources hunting regulations for 2026-27, limited to what applies in Sumter County, which is in Game Zone 4. Bag limits, legal hours, tagging, licence and stamp requirements, and the rules for public land are not repeated here. Before you hunt, check the current regulations or the official guide (PDF). Where this page and the guide disagree, the guide is right.
Last checked against the guide on Nov. 10, 2026. The table is refreshed each August when SCDNR publishes the new guide. For SCDNR news as it is published, see the SC DNR source page or the Outdoors section.