South Carolina Code of Laws
Chapter 11 - Protection Of Game
Section 50-11-22. Harming actively nesting waterfowl or disturbing nest or nest box; penalties.

(A) It is unlawful to harm, disturb, molest, or take an actively nesting waterfowl, its nest, or eggs, including the male, except by permit issued by the federal government or its agent.
(B) It is unlawful to disturb, damage, or destroy the nest including a nest box or eggs of any waterfowl except by permit issued by the federal government or its agent. Provided, nothing in this section prohibits inspection of nests for biological purposes.
Any person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than two hundred nor more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned for up to thirty days. In addition, anyone convicted forfeits all hunting and fishing privileges for one year.
HISTORY: 2008 Act No. 214, Section 4, eff May 13, 2008.

Structure South Carolina Code of Laws

South Carolina Code of Laws

Title 50 - Fish, Game and Watercraft

Chapter 11 - Protection Of Game

Section 50-11-10. Adoption of Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act; prohibitions concerning hunting of waterfowl; penalties.

Section 50-11-15. Baiting prohibited in area over which migratory birds are hunted; penalties;.

Section 50-11-20. Repealed.

Section 50-11-22. Harming actively nesting waterfowl or disturbing nest or nest box; penalties.

Section 50-11-24. Hunting migratory fowl in Gills Creek watershed in Lancaster County without permission; penalties.

Section 50-11-25. Prohibition on taking migratory waterfowl from certain blinds or positions; construction and use of blinds; penalties.

Section 50-11-26. Hunting migratory waterfowl on Bear Creek in Lancaster County without permission; penalties.

Section 50-11-27. Hunting and baiting on Lake Murray; violations and penalties.

Section 50-11-28. Unlawful to hunt migratory waterfowl on Lake Greenwood; penalties.

Section 50-11-29. Unlawful to hunt migratory waterfowl on Lake Wateree; penalties.

Section 50-11-30. Repealed by 2008 Act No. 286, Section 11, eff June 11, 2008.

Section 50-11-31. Hunting near dwelling or marina on Potato and Wyboo Creeks prohibited; baiting prohibited; penalties.

Section 50-11-32. Hunting waterfowl on Lake Marion; penalty.

Section 50-11-33. Hunting migratory waterfowl on portions of Lake Marion; penalties.

Section 50-11-34. Hunting migratory waterfowl on portions of Lake Marion; penalty; markers.

Section 50-11-35. Hunting migratory fowl in Murrell's Inlet Creek.

Section 50-11-36. Hunting migratory waterfowl on Lake Keowee.

Section 50-11-37. Hunting migratory waterfowl on Broadway Lake.

Section 50-11-38. Hunting migratory waterfowl on Lake Moultrie.

Section 50-11-40. Use of recorded sounds or amplified imitations of calls or sounds prohibited; exemptions; penalties.

Section 50-11-45. Certain rifle defined as primitive weapon.

Section 50-11-65. Training of bird dogs.

Section 50-11-90. Controlled substances for the capture and immobilization of wildlife.

Section 50-11-95. Computer-assisted remote hunting and remote hunting facilities; penalties; exceptions.

Section 50-11-96. Introduction of fertility control agents into wildlife; exceptions; penalties.

Section 50-11-100. Enclosure impeding free range of deer being hunted; construction unlawful; registration of existing enclosures; expansion of registered enclosures; penalties.

Section 50-11-105. Wildlife disease control; regulation of wildlife shipments; euthanasia.

Section 50-11-110. Small game defined.

Section 50-11-120. Small game seasons.

Section 50-11-140. Taking raccoons, opossums, squirrels, or fox during period they can be hunted without weapons.

Section 50-11-150. Small game bag limits.

Section 50-11-160. Unlawful to trap rabbits; exceptions.

Section 50-11-170. Repealed by 2008 Act. No. 286, Section 11, eff June 11, 2008.

Section 50-11-180. Trapping or snaring of quail prohibited; exceptions; requests for quail trapping permits; requirements.

Section 50-11-300. Species constituting big game.

Section 50-11-310. Open season for antlered deer.

Section 50-11-315. Bag limit for antlered deer taken with individual antlered deer tags; bag limit for deer taken on property with a Deer Quota Program; penalties.

Section 50-11-320. Issuance of tags for hunting and taking deer; penalties.

Section 50-11-335. Repealed.

Section 50-11-340. Penalty for hunting deer during closed season.

Section 50-11-350. Illegally taking deer; penalty.

Section 50-11-355. Hunting deer near residences with firearm; penalties.

Section 50-11-356. Discharging weapon near poultry layer or broiler house prohibited; penalties.

Section 50-11-360. Taking or attempting to take elk; penalty.

Section 50-11-365. Wearing of international orange while on Wildlife Management Area lands.

Section 50-11-380. Repealed by 2010 Act No. 211, Section 5, eff June 8, 2010.

Section 50-11-390. Departmental authority over game zones.

Section 50-11-400. Unlawful to possess deer with head detached when in transit from woods, swamps, fields, or roads; penalties.

Section 50-11-410. Antlerless deer defined; unlawful to hunt, kill, take, or possess antlerless deer; exceptions; penalties.

Section 50-11-420. Penalty for possession of recently killed venison or fresh deerskin during closed season.

Section 50-11-430. Bear hunting; unlawful acts; penalties.

Section 50-11-435. Weight restriction on bear taken; penalties.

Section 50-11-440. Black bears; feeding or enticing with food; penalty.

Section 50-11-450. Unprocessed bait authorized in Game Zone 4.

Section 50-11-500. Provisions applicable to wild turkey.

Section 50-11-510. Prohibition against baiting wild turkeys; definitions.

Section 50-11-515. Use of wild turkey feathers in art.

Section 50-11-520. Repealed.

Section 50-11-525. Authority to promulgate regulations.

Section 50-11-530. Authority to promulgate emergency regulations relating to harvest of wild turkeys in game zones.

Section 50-11-540. Penalties for violating rules applicable to wild turkey hunting; forfeiture of hunting and fishing privileges.

Section 50-11-544. Wild turkey tags.

Section 50-11-546. Electronic harvest reporting system.

Section 50-11-550. Repealed by 2008 Act No. 286, Section 11, eff June 11, 2008.

Section 50-11-565. Archery equipment defined.

Section 50-11-580. Season for hunting and taking male wild turkey; bag limits; taking female wild turkey; annual report.

Section 50-11-590. Youth Turkey Hunting Weekend.

Section 50-11-600. Falconry; unlawful acts; penalties; regulations.

Section 50-11-700. Definitions.

Section 50-11-705. Night hunting prohibited; exceptions; hunting of deer, bear, or turkey; penalties; use of artificial lights at night.

Section 50-11-708. Repealed.

Section 50-11-710. Night hunting prohibited; exceptions; hunting of raccoons, opossums, foxes, minks, or skunks; penalties.

Section 50-11-715. Night hunting prohibited; exceptions; hunting of feral hogs, coyotes, or armadillos; penalties.

Section 50-11-717. Use of artificial lights at night; exceptions.

Section 50-11-720. Repealed.

Section 50-11-730. Unlawful to hunt, shoot, or kill deer from a water conveyance; penalties.

Section 50-11-740. Confiscation, forfeiture, and sale of property used in hunting of deer, bear, or turkey at night; procedures.

Section 50-11-745. Releasing confiscated property to innocent owner or lienholder; failure to recover property.

Section 50-11-750. Unlawful to feed or entice with food any alligator; exceptions; penalties.

Section 50-11-760. Hunting from certain public roads and railroad rights-of-way prohibited; definitions; penalties.

Section 50-11-770. Unpermitted hunting with use of a dog on property without hunting rights; dog not to be harmed; penalties; suspension of hunting privileges; exceptions.

Section 50-11-780. Dogs engaged in hunting not required to be constrained by leash.

Section 50-11-810. Game birds for which no specific open season is designated are protected; department authorized to regulate taking of exotic game birds; penalties.

Section 50-11-820. Unlawful to kill, catch, have in possession, or offer or expose for sale resident or migratory wild bird; exception.

Section 50-11-830. Unlawful to sell or have in possession for sale plumage, skin, or body of protected bird.

Section 50-11-840. Destroying active wild bird nest or eggs; permit for removal.

Section 50-11-850. Unlawful to transport resident or migratory wild nongame bird; exceptions.

Section 50-11-851. Shooting, killing, or maiming of "carrier pigeon" prohibited; penalties.

Section 50-11-852. Unlawful to molest or kill birds of prey; bald eagles; penalties.

Section 50-11-853. Unlawful to catch, kill, capture, or detain homing, racing or carrier pigeon; penalties.

Section 50-11-854. Seasons and bag limits for hunting and taking crows.

Section 50-11-860. Department to designate and establish sanctuaries; agreements with landowners.

Section 50-11-870. Bird sanctuaries declared in certain areas; hunting waterfowl on Lake Wylie.

Section 50-11-875. Bird sanctuary within City of Charleston.

Section 50-11-880. Wildlife sanctuaries declared in certain areas; unlawful to discharge firearm or attempt to take or kill wildlife in sanctuaries; exceptions.

Section 50-11-883. Designation of portion of Lake Secession, and of Vereen Memorial Historical Gardens as wildlife sanctuary.

Section 50-11-890. Bird and squirrel sanctuaries declared in certain areas.

Section 50-11-900. Nongame bird sanctuaries declared in certain areas.

Section 50-11-910. Francis Beidler Forest declared wildlife sanctuary.

Section 50-11-915. Playcard Environmental Education Center sanctuary in Horry County.

Section 50-11-920. Kershaw County park declared wildlife sanctuary.

Section 50-11-925. South Carolina Future Farmers of America Camp Wildlife Sanctuary.

Section 50-11-930. Unlawful to trap, hunt, or molest ducks or geese or molest their nest on certain waters or tidelands; penalties.

Section 50-11-935. Lake Conestee Nature Park declared wildlife sanctuary.

Section 50-11-940 to 50-11-941. Repealed by 2013 Act No. 4, Section 2, eff March 4, 2013.

Section 50-11-950. Certain lands owned by Brookgreen Gardens declared wildlife sanctuary.

Section 50-11-960. Paris Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary designated.

Section 50-11-961. Greenville Technical College campus declared wildlife sanctuary.

Section 50-11-970. Certain lands owned by Lake Dogwood Corporation designated waterfowl sanctuary.

Section 50-11-980. Certain lands and waters in Charleston Harbor and adjacent estuarine system designated wildlife sanctuary.

Section 50-11-990. Penalties for hunting or trespassing upon land designated sanctuary.

Section 50-11-1050. Permit to remove destructive wildlife.

Section 50-11-1060. Repealed by 2012 Act No. 257, Section 14, eff June 18, 2012.

Section 50-11-1070. Repealed by 2012 Act No. 257, Section 14, eff June 18, 2012.

Section 50-11-1080. No closed season on coyotes.

Section 50-11-1090. Authority of department to permit taking of game animal; requirements.

Section 50-11-1105. Authority of department to declare closed season when game cannot protect themselves; procedures; penalties.

Section 50-11-1110. Authority of department to close or shorten open season upon request of county legislative delegation; procedures; penalties.

Section 50-11-1120. Authority of department to declare open season on foxes upon request of county legislative delegation.

Section 50-11-1130. Authorization for landowners to kill raccoons and squirrels destroying crops.

Section 50-11-1140. United States Fish and Wildlife Service may allow hunting of deer on sea island within federally owned or controlled reserve.

Section 50-11-1145. Trapping predatory animals within certain enclosures; types of traps permitted; release or destruction of animals.

Section 50-11-1150. Authority of department to trap predatory animals.

Section 50-11-1160. Authority of certain Federal employees to trap predatory animals.

Section 50-11-1170. Department to cooperate with United States government to control predatory animals.

Section 50-11-1180. Authority of department to issue permits to collect protected wildlife for scientific or propagating purposes; penalties.

Section 50-11-1200. Operating licenses for privately owned shooting preserves.

Section 50-11-1205. Licensing of new preserves.

Section 50-11-1210. Annual fees.

Section 50-11-1220. Preserve acreage requirements.

Section 50-11-1230. Designation of boundaries.

Section 50-11-1240. Repealed by 2010 Act No. 233, Section 13, eff July 1, 2010.

Section 50-11-1250. Legal shooting preserve species.

Section 50-11-1260. Continued release of pen-raised mallards and turkeys pursuant to license in effect as of December 31, 2005.

Section 50-11-1270. Shooting season.

Section 50-11-1280. Harvest limits.

Section 50-11-1290. Tagging of harvested designated shooting preserve species; information required on tags.

Section 50-11-1300. Stocking private preserve.

Section 50-11-1310. Permit to operate quail call pen trap.

Section 50-11-1320. Care of penned animals.

Section 50-11-1330. Maintenance of records; copies to department.

Section 50-11-1340. Responsibility of manager, owner, or licensee for violations on preserve; penalties.

Section 50-11-1350. "Pen-raised quail" defined.

Section 50-11-1360. Authorization to engage in business of propagating pen-raised quail.

Section 50-11-1370. Commercial quail breeder's license.

Section 50-11-1380. Pen-raised quail for consumption on hotel, restaurant, boardinghouse, or club premises.

Section 50-11-1390. Revocation of or refusal to issue breeders license.

Section 50-11-1400. Sale of pen-raised quail.

Section 50-11-1410. Information required on package of pen-raised quail shipped out of state; records.

Section 50-11-1420. Copy of invoice of pen-raised quail sold or shipped in State.

Section 50-11-1430. Killing of pen-raised quail.

Section 50-11-1440. Trapping wild quail.

Section 50-11-1450. Violation of article, penalty.

Section 50-11-1700. Unlawful to keep certain birds or animals in cold storage or refrigerating plants; exceptions; penalties.

Section 50-11-1710. Unlawful for transportation company to receive for shipment state game birds or animals; exceptions.

Section 50-11-1720. Transportation of game birds or animals unlawfully killed or captured prohibited; exceptions.

Section 50-11-1730. Authorization and application to transport game birds or animals out of state; limits; penalties.

Section 50-11-1740. Limits on number of game birds or animals that may be shipped to private address in State.

Section 50-11-1750. Application to ship game birds or animals.

Section 50-11-1765. Possession, importation, or sale of live wolves.

Section 50-11-1910. Sale of deer or deer parts; penalties.

Section 50-11-1920. Sale of exotic farm-raised venison; permits; inspection of premises and records; violations; punishment.

Section 50-11-1930. Sale or purchase of willet or dove prohibited.

Section 50-11-1940. Unlawful to buy or barter for sale wild quail; penalty.

Section 50-11-1950. Possession and sale of pheasant eggs permitted.

Section 50-11-2100. Field trials; Department to promulgate regulations to permit field trials; penalties.

Section 50-11-2110. Repealed.

Section 50-11-2200. Establishment, operation, and maintenance of wildlife management areas; prohibited conduct; penalties.

Section 50-11-2210. Abuse of wildlife management area land, Heritage Trust land, or department owned land or improvements; penalties.

Section 50-11-2215. Noninterference with agency duties and landowner rights.

Section 50-11-2220. Abuse of wildlife area land, Heritage Trust land, or department owned land or improvements; additional penalties.

Section 50-11-2225. Trespass on closed area; penalties.

Section 50-11-2230. Public or private access to property must be available prior to leasing property to Wildlife Management Area Program.

Section 50-11-2240. Wildlife management area lottery hunt.

Section 50-11-2300. Operation Game Thief Program created; funding.

Section 50-11-2310. Purposes for which program funds may be expended.

Section 50-11-2320. Program funds to be expended in certain order.

Section 50-11-2400. Definitions.

Section 50-11-2420. Repealed by 2012 Act No. 257, Section 14, eff June 18, 2012.

Section 50-11-2430. Proof of ownership or permission to use land on which traps are set.

Section 50-11-2440. Frequency of visitations.

Section 50-11-2445. Removal of trapped wildlife by owner of trap or owner's designee; penalties.

Section 50-11-2450. Commercial fur licensees to report annually to department.

Section 50-11-2460. Traps allowed for trapping; traps to bear owner's name and address.

Section 50-11-2470. Fur dealer, buyer, and processor's license.

Section 50-11-2475. Fur processor's license.

Section 50-11-2480. Persons not required to obtain fur buyer's license.

Section 50-11-2490. Fur buyers and processors to keep daily register; register sheets to be submitted to department monthly; furs, pelts, or hides not properly tagged declared contraband.

Section 50-11-2510. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) tagging of otter and bobcat pelts.

Section 50-11-2515. Prohibited acts.

Section 50-11-2520. Inspection of business premises and records of licensee; revocation of license for failure to allow inspection.

Section 50-11-2530. Confiscation of illegal traps, devices, furs, pelts, and hides; sale of confiscated items; use of funds; destruction of illegal traps.

Section 50-11-2540. Trapping season; unlawful to trap out of season without authorization; taking of coyotes.

Section 50-11-2550. Repealed.

Section 50-11-2560. Penalties.

Section 50-11-2565. Penalties.

Section 50-11-2570. Issuance of special permit to capture destructive wildlife.

Section 50-11-2575. Repealed by 2012 Act No. 257, Section 14, eff June 18,2012.

Section 50-11-2600. Definitions.

Section 50-11-2605. Coyote and fox purchase and release.

Section 50-11-2610. Enclosure permits.

Section 50-11-2620. Obtaining foxes and coyotes to stock enclosures.

Section 50-11-2630. Sales of live foxes or coyotes by trappers; records of sales.

Section 50-11-2640. Importing foxes and coyotes.

Section 50-11-2650. Penalties for violation of article.