STATEWIDE DEER PERMIT All deer hunters ages 16 and older, unless license exempt, must first buy and carry proof of purchasing an annual hunting license and a statewide deer permit while hunting. As an IFW volunteer, you can be confident that you are receiving complete control over who and when you are assigned. I even added a few places up north. (If you are a metric shooter, just mentally substitute meters for yards; it will be close enough for the purposes of this article.) We are closing in on a realistic set of specifications for possible 150-200 yard deer cartridges and loads. That is, we want our hunting bullet to neither rise above nor fall below the line of sight from the muzzle to at least 200 yards. There are also a few.300 Winchester Magnum cartridges, such as the 5.56x45mm NATO . It is unlawful to hunt, shoot or in any way kill deer from a motorboat, raft or any other water conveyance, or to molest a deer while any part of the deer is in water (50-11-730). Winchester thought the project held promise for civilian shooters and hunters and in 1952 trotted out the .308 Winchester. Hunting Black Hills Ammunition 175-grain ELD-X SEE IT Remington 150-grain Core-Lokt Tipped Nosler 168-grain Accubond LR Hornady American Whitetail 139-grain SP Interlock Winchester 150-grain Ballistic Silvertip And no one practices as much as they should with a rifle that beats them up, compounding the problem. Fans of the .243 have helped it maintain its status as one of the best deer cartridges, though it never could dislodge the .30/06, .270 and .308 from the top slots. Alligators may be hunted with permit from the South Carolina Division of Natural Resources. The same rifle has an extremely accurate bullet with newer rounds and can knock any deer out of the woods to about 300 yards with it. The average distance at which South Carolina hunters shoot deer is 132 yards with an 81% percent success rate. We also accept that 800 ft. lb. Tags may only be possessed or used by the person whose name appears on the tag. In general, hunting deer within 300 yards of a residence without the permission of the owner and occupant is not permitted (50-11-355). On the lighter end, youll find bullets like the 150-grain Barnes TSX and 150-grain Trophy Copper. Other regulations include limits on the number of deer that can be killed, the use of bait, and the use of dogs. If meat is not picked-up by the owner, it can be given to another individual at no charge. A. Sellier & Bellot Win 270 - 150 Grain SP - 20 Rounds - Best Premium 270 Win Deer Hunting Caliber 1 Federal - 270 Win - 150-Grain Soft Point - Non-Typical Whitetail Rifle Ammunition - Best Whitetail Hunting Caliber Any keen 270 Win Whitetail hunter will do well to try this highly effective Federal Premium cartridge. Only when a landowner permits his deer to hunt on his own property (50-11-355) is hunting prohibited. Short, sweet notes to be read about the heart or lungs. Note: These recoil figures are only approximate and rounded off the the nearest full ft. lb. Shooting 165-grain ballistic tips I put hundreds of pounds of corn-fed Michigan venison in the freezer over the years. It is unlawful to hunt deer with a firearm within three hundred yards of a residence when less than ten feet above the ground without permission of the owner and occupant. especially shines is with some of the excellent heavy-for-caliber bullets in the 190- to 212-grain range. This is a reasonable selection of cartridges and at least some of them should be available at your local gun shop. Legal rifle calibers by state Since this topic has come up a few times recently I decided to look up and read all the states hunting regs and see what calibers were legal in each state. There is a comprehensive Rifle Recoil Table on the Guns and Shooting Online "Tables, Charts and Lists" index page. The state is home to a variety of deer species, including white-tailed deer, which are the most popular game animals hunted in the state. Its the scrappy underdog that elbowed its way in between the .270 and .30/06 and has managed to hang in there despite the dominance of those rounds. Well leave that aside for the moment. South Carolinas hunting laws are among the most liberal in the United States. All freshly killed bears must be reported to the South Carolina Division of Natural Resources within 24 hours of killing the bear. This puts the bullet about 3 inches high at 100, 4 inches low at 350, and just 10 inches low at 400. Just $1 per month , Here are the top cartridges for pursuing North Americas most popular big-game animal, We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. South Carolina is best known as a trophy hunting destination, but it has an active hunting season and liberal bag limits. Best Caliber for Deer Hunting William W (Bill) Gabbard Left to right 223, 25-06, 7mm08, 270, 280, 308, 7mm Rem Mag, 300 Win Mag What is the best caliber for deer hunting? of energy at 200 yards and kick no harder than 15 ft. lb. If coastal communities want to crack down on deer feeding, they should pass an ordinance. So theres no shortage of rifles chambered in this round. Participants in the DQP also have the option of receiving a quota for antlered bucks. Therefore, we want a hunting cartridge/load with a maximum point blank range (MPBR) +/- 3 inches of at least 200 yards. A 129-grain bullet is typically used by hunters, but it can also be fired with 120- and 140-grain bullets. For the time, it represented the pinnacle of high-performance long-range accuracy. We know experience has shown the greater cross-sectional area of .24 caliber bullets makes them more reliable all-around deer slayers. In Game Zone 1 tags are valid beginning Oct. 1. 2022-2023, Trapping One only need look at the NRL Hunter series, where shooters must use hunting-style rifles to shoot real-world scenarios, to understand that not every deer hunting caliber is created equal. 223 for deer in states where it's legal is an option, but that is the very bottom end of calibers that might be used. Their consumption of acorns and other nuts, as well as their role in the survival of our hardwood forests, contributes to the survival of our forests. Because larger caliber rifles are more effective at killing deer and other wildlife, this prohibition is required. The following Game Zone and WMA limitations include the 2 free resident base set tags combined with any additional Individual Antlerless Tags that are purchased: In Game Zone 1 only three (3) Individual Antlerless Tags are valid on private or WMA land starting October 1. All deer must be tagged with a valid deer tag as prescribed by the department before the animal is moved from the point of kill. Crossbows may only be used on deer, bears, and turkey. This years deer hunting season in South Carolina will be significantly different than previous years. Except in the far West, white-tailed deer can be found throughout the United States, except in the far north. When I pull the trigger, the game is over. Frankfort Arsenal designed a prototype cartridge called the T65 in an effort to approximate .30/06 (the U.S. service round at the time) performance in a shorter cartridge. There are several deer calibers that are still very popular today, the most popular of which is the. Semi-automatic weapons that are not military grade weapons can purchased by South Carolina Residents and non-residents who own property in South Carolina. .22-caliber or larger rifle that deliver at least 900 foot-pounds of energy at 100 yards. The most important regulation is that hunters must have a valid hunting license. Waste or Abuse to SC Inspector General | In Game Zone 2, a hunter can kill up to five deer, and in Game Zone 3 and 4, up to 17 deer can be killed. In our opinion, the best caliber for deer hunting is the. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. These loads are effective to at least 200 yards and excellent for our self-imposed 150 yard shot limit. On medium games, the cartridges perform admirably, can be effectively used at a short range, and are reasonably priced. Must be tagged with Individual Antlerless Deer Tag. A person is hunting. Titling office is now located at: SCDNR Because it is a Federal Cartridge, the 6.7 Remington SPC is specifically designed for use with an AR-15. Mag. Deer prefer corn and corn piles as bait for a variety of reasons. Black Hills Ammunition 62-grain Triple Shock, Federal Premium 60-grain Nosler Partition. In most cases, no. of energy, which is close enough for the purposes of this article. It really is the best all-around hunting rifle caliber. A lack of melanin pigment in the deers hair is one of the causes of amnesticism. Even public hunting may improve if better management is implemented. Lest you think it is some relic of your grandfathers era, the .30/30 is still the top selling lever-action cartridge, beating out the .45/70 even though that round has seen many more new offerings in terms of rifles and ammunition. Individual tags do not alter the daily (2 per day) or seasonal limit or change the type of weapon that can be used during special weapons seasons. On the state level, baiting is still prohibited. This is a prescription for flinching, bad bullet placement and wounded/lost game animals. 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According to the harvest data, the months of mid-October to mid-November are ideal for harvesting bucks and dos. More information can be obtained by calling DNR Law Enforcement at (803) 734-4002 or the Deer Project at (803) 734-3886. Possessing any deer with the head detached while in transit from the point of kill is prohibited (50-11-400). This old military cartridge is a piece of equipment from the 1950s. In the morning and at night, when the moon is full, deer tend to be more active. It didnt start life that way, however. Otherwise, it is meaningless marketing blather. Antlerless deer may not be possessed, hunted, shot or in any way killed except during special seasons or by special permit (50-11-410). The systems are semi-automatic, extremely adaptable, and very simple to operate. Pyramyd Air has this interactive guide that shows airgun laws by state and what types of game animals can be harvested with airguns. Furthermore, while the.30-06 Springfield and the.300 Winchester Magnum are both excellent calibers for hunting deer with rifles in states that allow it, these two calibers are also acceptable for deer hunting. One key facet of shootability is the shooters ability to manage the rifles recoil and spot where their bullet went and make an accurate follow-up shot if needed. This season, which lasts two weeks, allows you to shoot a regular firearm. WMA Waterfowl Hunt Results for 2022-2023; Small . It might come as a surprise to some, but despite the gargantuan success of the .270 over the decades it was not an immediate hit with the shooting public. In Game Zones 1 and 2 it is unlawful to pursue deer with dogs (50-11-310). Its a solid contender for the best deer caliber out to 500 yards. South Carolina is known as the Low Country due to its coastal region. Air rifles are legal. All of these reduced recoil loads claim around 10 ft. lb. The hunter must be at least sixteen years old when hunting alligator. It did, however, catch the fancy of Jack OConnor, who sang its praises in Outdoor Life, and as hunters tried the .270 they found they liked it very much indeed. There is no definitive answer to this question as it largely depends on personal preferences. It was introduced in 2006 amid a flurry of cartridge introductions and never quite caught on. South Carolina's hunting laws prohibit the use of unethical methods of hunting. Match-grade ammunition. At 500 yards, the .300 Win. The Blue Ridge Mountains can reach heights of 3,560 feet above sea level. This measure ensures that hunters have a fair and legal hunting season while also protecting the deer population from being harmed. Match-grade barrels. Waste or Abuse to SC Inspector General. The deer population in South Carolina is estimated to be between 1.5 and 2 million, which is significantly higher than the human population of around 4.8 million. The ample availability of inexpensive ammo (at least during normal times) is another factor in favor of the .223. Phone: 215-712-1212 Fax: 215-814-8919. . In 2020, the top five counties for overall deer hunting days were Orangeburg, Colleton, Kershaw, and Spartanburg (Table 8), in addition to Orangeburg and Colleton. You can put some deer to the test in South Carolina during the deer hunting season. Since these are technical argumentsmostly concerning the ability of those cartridges to drive a given bullet fasterit requires a technical rebuttal. In Game Zones 2, 3, and 4 Individual Antlerless Tags are valid on private or WMA land starting September 15. Lenient Gun laws however, do not mean that proper hunting practices should not be observed. In the state, a large caliber rifle, such as a.35 caliber or better, is now permitted. When hunting doves and other birds, there is no law in South Carolina concerning the distance a hunter must be away from a . Less game will be wounded and lost, which means more animals and better hunting for all of us. Different seasons exist depending on the zone and whether or not you own land on private or public property. Good striking energy. All of these calibers are effective for deer hunting, but they may not be the best for specific hunting situations. Theres no way as shooting editor for this esteemed publication that I could fail to include the .270 Winchester on the list of contenders vying for the best deer hunting caliber. Its been used worldwide on everything short of dangerous game and is a perennial favorite among whitetail hunters. In coastal communities, the IFW examines the potential of managing deer herds. The.243,.25, and.270 calibers are those that may be considered for a deer hunt at this time in size. According to South Carolinas hunter harassment laws, anyone who intentionally restricts another person from hunting or other related activities is breaking the law. Kelly Shouse, the sheriff of New Hampshire, enjoys shooting the 300 Winchester Magnum. Being mature adults with nothing to prove, we are willing to admit we can shoot better with a rifle that kicks less; anyone can. Hunting licenses and hunting permits are required for some games. The fast twist rate (1:8 inches) works better with the aeroballistically efficient 130-grain (and larger) 6.5mm bullets than the 1:9 twist on the other 6.5s. The .257 Roberts, which is continuing its slide into obsolescence, is near and dear to my heart. Gun Control, Gun Rights, Gun News, Gun Broker & Deals, Nerf Guns, Gun Safe. When I started deer hunting in the 1970s, the 30-06 and 30-30 were popular among my friends. As a result, baiting for deer is legal on private property all across South Carolina. 223 is legal is SC, but post #8 incorrectly lists all centerfire rifles are legal. Even though the cartridge no longer enjoys the prominence it once did, its hard to imagine it slipping out of the top 10 deer calibers anytime soon. There are numerous zones around the world that have a different season than others, depending on whether they are private or public land. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use. There is no evidence that deer overpopulation occurs in most populous counties, but it is possible that it does. From small and working up, deer rifle calibers on the smallest end begin. The manager of my local sporting goods store told me that young hunters today are buying 7mm Magnum and .300 Magnum rifles for deer hunting. According to Brad Turner, a retired U.S. Army Colonel, the 30-30 can still drop up to 100 yards of deer tracks. Loads claim around 10 ft. lb causes of amnesticism Gun Rights, Gun Safe bullet about inches... Is not picked-up by the owner, it represented the pinnacle of long-range! 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To 100 yards harvesting bucks and dos is continuing its slide into obsolescence, is near and dear to heart... Season and liberal bag limits be killed, the use of bait, and very simple to.! And very simple to operate the Terms of use legal is SC, but they may not observed. These loads are effective to at least some of them should be available at your local shop., such as the 5.56x45mm NATO other wildlife, this prohibition is required heavy-for-caliber bullets in the United States except. Ifw examines the potential of managing deer herds other wildlife, this prohibition is required be available at local. Found throughout the United States, except in the revenue of any purchases made off the the nearest full lb. Limits on the smallest end begin ( 50-11-400 ) Carolinas hunting laws prohibit the use of dogs sea... I put hundreds of pounds of corn-fed Michigan venison in the morning and at least yards...