South Carolina publishes deer harvest in a form FDR could rank for 56 public hunting areas. McBee WMA is highest at 25.7 deer harvested per square mile in 2024. London Creek WMA has 13.8 in 2024 and Landsford Canal FLA WMA has 11.7 in 2024. The rankings describe reported harvest and do not measure access or hunting pressure.
KEY FINDINGS
- McBee WMA has the highest harvest per square mile at 25.7. The agency reported 49 deer on 1,221 acres in 2024.
- 56 public hunting areas are ranked. Ranks compare areas measured between 2019 and 2024 and each row shows its own newest year.
- 7 federal areas are ranked on their own. USFWS Santee NWR has the highest harvest per square mile at 6.4 in 2024.
South Carolina public land rankings
Best public land in South Carolina
Derived FDR figures from state agency numbers. Seasons measured 2019 through 2024. Captured October 18, 2026. Harvest per square mile is the agency's deer harvest divided by the area's size. Success rate is the agency's published rate or harvest divided by hunters. Areas smaller than one square mile are left out of the rankings. Order uses the unrounded values and tied values share a rank. Blank cells mean the agency did not publish the figure.
Download all ranked rows (CSV)
Public hunting areas
Top 15 of 56 ranked public hunting areas by deer harvest per square mile. Each row shows its own newest year.
15 of 56 areas shown
| 1 | McBee WMA | Chesterfield | 1,221 | 2024 | 49 | 25.7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | London Creek WMA | Cherokee | 1,758 | 2024 | 38 | 13.8 |
| 3 | Landsford Canal FLA WMA | Chester | 1,538 | 2024 | 28 | 11.7 |
| 4 | Forty-Acre Rock HP WMA | Lancaster | 2,965 | 2024 | 52 | 11.2 |
| 5 | Cliff Pitts WMA | Laurens | 1,098 | 2024 | 17 | 9.9 |
| 6 | Longleaf Pine HP WMA | Lee | 843 | 2024 | 13 | 9.9 |
| 7 | Cross Generating Station WMA | 654 | 2019 | 10 | 9.8 | |
| 8 | Edisto River WMA | Dorchester | 1,394 | 2024 | 21 | 9.6 |
| 9 | Draper WMA | Union | 806 | 2024 | 11 | 8.7 |
| 10 | Hickory Top WMA | Clarendon | 1,105 | 2024 | 15 | 8.7 |
| 11 | Tall Pines WMA | Greenville | 1,757 | 2024 | 23 | 8.4 |
| 12 | Fants Grove WMA | Anderson, Oconee, Pickens | 7,444 | 2024 | 87 | 7.5 |
| 13 | Webb Wildlife Center WMA | Hampton | 5,866 | 2024 | 65 | 7.1 |
| 14 | Delta South WMA | Union | 2,174 | 2024 | 24 | 7.1 |
| 15 | Manchester State Forest WMA | Sumter | 23,135 | 2024 | 239 | 6.6 |
Federal areas
Top 7 of 7 ranked federal areas by deer harvest per square mile. Each row shows its own newest year.
7 of 7 federal areas shown
| 1 | USFWS Santee NWR | Clarendon | 6,700 | 2024 | 67 | 6.4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | USFS Sumter National Forest | Various Piedmont Counties | 375,000 | 2024 | 1,439 | 2.5 |
| 3 | USFS Francis Marion National Forest | Berkeley, Charleston | 259,000 | 2024 | 857 | 2.1 |
| 4 | USFWS Savannah NWR | Jasper | 7,556 | 2024 | 9 | 0.8 |
| 5 | USFWS Carolina Sandhills NWR | Chesterfield | 47,850 | 2024 | 36 | 0.5 |
| 6 | USFWS ACE Basin NWR | Charleston, Colleton | 11,815 | 2024 | 5 | 0.3 |
| 7 | USFWS Waccamaw NWR | Georgetown, Horry, Marion | 5,515 | 2024 | 1 | 0.1 |
01Public hunting areas
56 areas ranked on harvest per square mile
McBee WMA has the most deer harvested per square mile at 25.7 in 2024. London Creek WMA has 13.8 in 2024 and Landsford Canal FLA WMA has 11.7 in 2024.
The top 15 run from 25.7 down to 6.6 deer harvested per square mile.
02Federal areas
7 federal areas ranked on harvest per square mile
USFWS Santee NWR has the most deer harvested per square mile at 6.4 in 2024. USFS Sumter National Forest has 2.5 in 2024 and USFS Francis Marion National Forest has 2.1 in 2024.
03Basis of this report
Sources and method
FDR divided the agency's deer harvest by the area's size to get harvest per square mile. Areas smaller than one square mile are left out of the rankings. Ranks compare areas measured between 2019 and 2024 and each row shows its own newest year.
Success rate is the agency's published figure or harvest divided by hunters. Tied values share a rank and the order uses the unrounded values.
A ranking does not evaluate an individual property and does not confirm that it is open to hunting for you.
Sources
NOTES AND SOURCES
- Derived FDR figures from state agency numbers. Seasons measured 2019 through 2024. Captured October 18, 2026. Harvest per square mile is the agency's deer harvest divided by the area's size. Success rate is the agency's published rate or harvest divided by hunters. Areas smaller than one square mile are left out of the rankings. Order uses the unrounded values and tied values share a rank. Blank cells mean the agency did not publish the figure.
Fully Drawn Research is an independent data analysis desk, not affiliated with any state wildlife agency, transportation agency, mapping provider or outfitter. FDR rankings are independent analysis of state agency numbers. A ranking does not evaluate an individual property.
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