Charleston County, South Carolina · 24,000 acres
Santee Coastal Reserve Wildlife Management Area Hunting 2026: Species & Access
Santee Coastal Reserve Wildlife Management Area covers 24,000 acres near McClellanville in Charleston County. Former rice plantation fields (Murphy Island, Cedar Island, The Cape, Washo Reserve) now managed as freshwater and brackish impoundments for breeding, migratory, and wintering waterfowl, alongside diverse uplands and tidal marsh.
01 — What you can hunt here
| Species | Notes |
|---|---|
| Waterfowl | The reserve's former rice-field impoundments are managed specifically for breeding, migratory, and wintering ducks and geese. |
| Deer | Huntable across the upland portions. |
02 — Access rules specific to this WMA
- Requires the statewide SCDNR WMA permit in addition to a South Carolina hunting license.
- Portions of the reserve close for scheduled hunts run from November through February each winter — not open to general public hunting on every day of the season.
04 — Facilities
Camping: Nearby primitive camping is available (not on-site facilities managed for hunters specifically). No shooting range on-site.
About 35 miles northeast of Charleston near McClellanville; access points differ by unit (Murphy Island, Cedar Island, The Cape).
05 — Where to go next
Santee Coastal Reserve is the direct legacy of South Carolina's old rice-plantation economy repurposed for waterfowl: the same diked fields that once grew rice are now managed impoundments that make this one of the state's premier duck destinations. At roughly 24,000 acres it's also one of the largest single WMAs in the state — but hunting runs on scheduled hunt days through the winter rather than being open every day, so checking the current schedule matters more here than on a plain license-only property.
South Carolina hunting license costs and permits →
Verified · South Carolina Department of Natural Resources · Last verified 2026-08-13
Publisher's note. Read from SCDNR, retrieved 2026-08-13. Review due 2027-08-01. WMA-specific rules and closures can change between seasons — confirm before you hunt.