Deer hunting in Charleston Co., SC?

[longbow fanatic 1]

I was curious if any of you have hunted the Botany Bay Plantation, a SC DNR managed WMA, for deer and pigs? I am planning a trip to South Carolina in October to visit family and thought I might do some bow hunting.

It looks like the deer densities in SC are very high. If you haven't hunted Botany Bay, do you have any advice on good deer WMA's that might be productive in Charleston County?

Thanks,

Dennis

[beetlebailey1977]

I have not hunted it but I know a few that have.  From what I could tell from scouting it myself it has a good deer population.  Also it is a very nice place.  It does not have hogs on it only deer.  There are other WMA's in the region and the Francis Marion National Forest which is huge.  Lots of deer and hogs on a lot of these areas.  Any other questions just ask.

[longbow fanatic 1]

Thanks Beetle. Sounds great. Is it difficult to try to bow hunt at this time of the year, with all the gun hunters?

[beetlebailey1977]

No gun hunters in Botany Bay when it is open to Archery.  It is open Sep. 20th-Oct.2nd for Archery then again Nov. 22-27.  What you want to do is go to dnr.sc.gov and look at the WMA's and dates so you can plan a hunt when you are down here.  It is not tough to bow hunt when the gun hunters are out you just have to get well off the beaten path.  And usually on the WMA's all you have to worry about is muzzle loader hunters.

[longbow fanatic 1]

You have been a great help. Thanks. I was planning on coming down between Oct. 8-18, so I won't be able to bow hunt Botany Bay. Maybe I will try Francis Marion, or one of the other WMA's close to North Charleston.