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by ERIN PARROTT
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The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) is now accepting applications for its 2026 public land deer lottery hunts, giving hunters another opportunity to pursue whitetails on some of the Palmetto State’s most sought-after wildlife management areas.
This year’s lottery includes the Multi-site, Unrestricted Multi-site, Webb Gun, Webb Archery, Webb Antlerless Only, and South Fenwick Archery hunts. Each lottery operates independently and maintains its own preference point system – while youth deer lotteries are conducted without preference points – and applicants may select up to 15 preferred hunt sites for each lottery.
The unrestricted multi-site lottery provides hunters access to Bear Island, Bonneau Ferry, Donnelley and Ramsey Grove wildlife management areas – where no antler restrictions apply.
Meanwhile, the standard multi-site lottery includes Belfast, Botany Bay, Coosawhatchie, Hamilton Ridge, Palachucola and Wateree River Heritage Preserve, where antler restrictions remain in effect.
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Hunters selected through the lottery are assigned specific hunt periods on managed public lands. Most lottery hunts consist of a half-day opening hunt followed by two full hunting days, with harvest limits and regulations varying by location. Portable tree stands are generally permitted, though hunters must follow each property’s orientation and check-in requirements.
SCDNR is also encouraging young hunters to participate in its Youth Only Deer Hunts, which are open to hunters ages 10 through 17. There is no application fee, and participants under 16 do not need a hunting license, but youth ages 16 and 17 must possess a valid Junior Sportsman’s License at the time of their hunt.
One unique option is the Webb Antlerless Only lottery, which features two-and-a-half day hunts on the Webb Center property. Hunters may primitive camp at nearby Palachucola or Hamilton Ridge WMAs during their scheduled hunt, though lodging is not provided.
Only antlerless deer may be harvested during these hunts, with tags provided by SCDNR. The lottery also maintains its own separate preference point system.
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RELATED | 2026 ALLIGATOR HUNTING SEASON
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Interest in South Carolina’s public-land deer hunts remains strong as the state’s deer population continues to provide quality hunting opportunities.
According to SCDNR’s most recent statewide deer harvest report, hunters harvested more than 200,000 deer during the 2024 season, continuing South Carolina’s status as one of the Southeast’s premier whitetail destinations while demonstrating a healthy and stable deer population across much of the state.
Applications for both adult and youth deer lottery hunts opened July 1, 2026 and will remain available through 11:59 p.m. EDT on August 15, 2026 through SCDNR’s GoOutdoorsSC licensing system.
Hunters can review individual hunt regulations, property-specific rules and submit applications through the SCDNR lottery hunt portal before the August 15, 2026 deadline.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Erin Parrott is a Greenville, S.C. native who graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2025 with a bachelor degree in broadcast journalism. Got feedback or a tip for Erin? Email her here.
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