The 6.5 Creedmoor is regarded as one of the best deer hunting cartridges ever made. And its terminal ballistics can handle all but thick-skinned dangerous game. Archery and crossbows allowed during all seasons. 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. shoots about 15 inches flatter than the 06 with a 180-grainer, so you can see the appeal. The.30-06 Springfield is a good caliber for hunting deer in states that allow hunting with a rifle, but it could be a better caliber for hunting deer with a bow. Compared to the Swede, the Norma and the Win. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Mag., so they fell behind with the shooting public. If you hunt in one of the game zones, you may be over the seasons limit for 17 deer. 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. For hunters the most common bullet choices are those from 150 to 180 grains. And its still going strong. 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. Carolina deer are a type of deer found in the United States. The hunter must be at least sixteen years old when hunting alligator. There are several deer hunting opportunities available during the Youth Hunt, which runs from August 14 to September 11. Only when a landowner permits his deer to hunt on his own property (50-11-355) is hunting prohibited. A hunter safety course must be completed in order to obtain a permit. Being a top deer hunting caliber requires more than just knock-down power. When I pull the trigger, the game is over. An antlerless deer is defined as a deer with no antlers or a deer with less than two inches of antler visible above the hairline. In the state, a large caliber rifle, such as a.35 caliber or better, is now permitted. This program is generally better suited for landowners or lessees with large acreages. These are the superstars of the whitetail world, with the numbers and longevity to support their claim to fame. 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? Can you deer hunt with an AR 15 in South Carolina? Hunting. Copyright 2015 by Chuck Hawks. Archery equipment and muzzleloading shotguns are the only weapons permitted this hunting season. There is no definitive answer to this question as it largely depends on personal preferences. This old military cartridge is a piece of equipment from the 1950s. All rights reserved. All regulations in this section apply to all private and public lands throughout the state, unless otherwise specified. A combination license is a fishing and hunting license for South Carolina. Large bucks are available in Anderson, Aiken, Allendale, Hampton, and Orangeburg counties in South Carolina. A smaller caliber rifle will not kill a deer as effectively as a larger caliber rifle if fired at the same time. Sharpshooters have been called in to control areas of high deer density. It is unlawful to perform a field trial without the proper permit. However, deer hunting with a bow and arrow has become increasingly popular in recent years, as it is seen as a more challenging and sporting way to hunt. This does not apply to storage at a private residence or to deer on which a hunters personal tag remains attached to the hamstring because the tag identifies the hunter. For the majority of my life, Ive killed deer with a rifle, which can range from 204 Ruger to 300 Win Mag. 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). Terms of Service - Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. Personally, I think that advantage is negated by the poorer shooting one sees with these thumpers, but to each his own. Tags can be used on any day beginning September 15 in Game Zone 2, 3, 4, and October 1 in Game Zone 1. Cookie Policy - This old military cartridge is very reliable and capable of shooting 300 yards with a 30 caliber bullet. In addition, some gun writers of the time questioned whether the .270 was as accurate as the .30/06 or delivered the velocities Winchester advertised, casting more doubt on the round. They are a subspecies of the white-tailed deer and are found in the southeastern United States. It didnt start life that way, however. Tags do not alter the use of weapons during special weapons seasons. Page and his cohorts necked the .308 down to 6mm and gave birth to the .243 Winchester. And the fact that its recoil didnt threaten to detach your retinas with each trigger pull was a big bonus. South Carolina only requires citizens to carry a permit if owners choose to carry a concealed handgun. In addition to Ashe, Chatham, Durham, Forsyth, Granville, Guilford, Orange, Person, Rockingham, Stokes, and Wake counties, there are several other counties with poor conditions. South Carolina's hunting laws prohibit the use of unethical methods of hunting. Mag. Unless that rifle carries some extra weight or a good muzzle brake, it will be difficult to shoot well. Deer Rules & Regulations. Those who purchase tags for the entire deer season must also have an active license or big game permit. There are several deer calibers that are still very popular today, the most popular of which is the. Ill admit, I used to be in the no-way camp. Landholders can use corn, for example, to attract deer to open areas. For this reason no person shall possess or use any substance or material that contains or purports to contain any excretion collected from a cervid (deer) including urine, feces, blood, gland oil, or other body fluid for the purpose of taking, attracting, or scouting any wild animal in SC. And who has better taste in such matters than me, the Shooting Editor of Outdoor Life? South Carolina has the least restrictions on the type of ammunition and caliber of hunting firearms. .357 magnum rifle, .45 Colt rifle and hand-thrown spear are legal ( 357 Magnum) Handguns or muzzleloading handguns that deliver at least 400 foot-pounds of energy at 50 yards. In the last 40 years, a wide range of calibers has been introduced. When it comes to deer harvesting, it is customary to rank counties based on the number of deer killed, with Orangeburg, Colleton, Spartanburg, Williamsburg, and Hampton being among the top five counties in 2020. It pushes bullets about 250 fps faster and has been winning ELR (extreme long-range matches) even when going head-to-head against big .30s and .33s like the .300 Norma, .300 PRC and .338 Lapua. From the get-go, deer hunters took a shine to the .243 Winchester. The list is difficult to narrow down to five items. A South Carolina Department of Natural Resources deer hunting study Answering Questions About Guns, Ammo, and Man's Best Friend revealed, among many other interesting things, that when hunters took shots beyond about 150 yards their chance of wounding or missing increased dramatically. Talk about damned by faint praise. Orangeburg, Colleton, Spartanburg, Aiken, and Laurens counties had the most hunters. and Commerical Fur Harvest, Hunt S.A.F.E. And no one practices as much as they should with a rifle that beats them up, compounding the problem. Act 2, passed by the South Carolina General Assembly in 2013, removed the prohibition on hunting over bait on private lands within Game Zone 1 and Zone 2. Shoot a moderate caliber and load within 150 yards and you will have far more success than the guys shooting more powerful rifles at longer ranges. But it is an outstanding cartridge that delivers great accuracy and has a little more gas in the tank than the 6.5 Creed. The smallest caliber recommended for deer is a.243 or 6mm bullet. This includes gear reviews, features on technical innovations, stories on shooting techniques and general hunting coverage with the occasional fishing story thrown into the mix. Except for the under-appreciated .240 Weatherby, there are no magnum cartridges on the list. Those catalogs had ballistic tables in the back, comparing the cartridges and listing their muzzle energy, velocity, and drop at various yardages. It is very unlikely that a large sum of money will be able to be taken. The gun hunting season for deer runs from September 1 to January 1, and firearms are permitted during that time. Nebraska State Hunting Laws - Quick View. You can see the numbers crunched here, but the main takeaway is that when shooting at a 10-inch target the 7mm Rem. The most common calibers that are used for deer hunting in Michigan are .30-06, .308, and .300 Winchester Magnum. notches, marking, etc. If a buck does not have a hot doe with him at night, he will not stay put. Tag must remain attached until the deer/carcass is quartered or received by a processor. It is unlawful to keep any deer in cold storage or refrigerating plants unless the carcass is clearly marked with the hunters name, address and hunting license number (50-11-1700). When a non-resident purchases an Hunting License/Big Game Permit, they are not eligible for free tags. Different seasons exist depending on the zone and whether or not you own land on private or public property. But these numbers dont tell the entire story. They can be found all over South Carolina, in marshes, forests, and farms, but prefer to live in mixed young forests, old fields, and croplands. What Size Caliber Is Legal For Deer Hunting? 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. South Carolina Except in the far West, white-tailed deer can be found throughout the United States, except in the far north. From August 15 to January 1, the South Carolina Lowcountry is an excellent hunting location for wild boar, deer, quail, and even wild turkey. If coastal communities want to crack down on deer feeding, they should pass an ordinance. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is currently investigating the killing of deer on private property in the Ayden area. A current list of these locations can be viewed at http://www.dnr.sc.gov/wildlife. (Reg. One advantage it had over the most popular .30, the .300 H&H Magnum, is that it could be chambered in a standard long-action rifle, whereas the .300 H&H required a magnum-length action to run. The other .30s of the timethe .308 Norma Magnum and the .30-338 Winchester (arguably a better design) didnt have the same support from gun makers as the .300 Win. This was no simple task. Buck quotas are based on the average number of acres per buck harvested as reported by program participants in the county in recent years. Hunters traveling elsewhere should check with the wildlife agency in their destination state to determine its CWD status and to determine what restrictions the state may have on the movement of carcasses. Small bullets are not uncommon to be shot through the air; they are even more uncommon if they are fired from a small caliber. SC Resident deer hunters receive two (2) Individual Antlerless Tags free of charge as part of their base set of deer tags. Processors are encouraged to report tagging violations to SCDNR Law Enforcement. at the State Farmer's Market, Wildlife Ultimately, it is up to the individual to decide whether or not deer hunting is good in South Carolina. Crowning one cartridge as the best whitetail caliber is a difficult task, but it is hard to imagine which would surpass the .30/30 Winchester. 5. But the fact is that with the right bullet a .223 is ample medicine for any whitetail buck out there. There is also a 223 exemption that can be used. Terminal bullet energy is often stated as 1,000 foot pounds to cleanly kill deer. Other, more technically oriented, critics argue the Creed doesnt perform as well as other .264-caliber rounds like the 6.555 Swede, the .260 Remington, 6.5-284 Norma Mag., and the .264 Winchester Mag. Crossbows are considered archery equipment. This is a prescription for flinching, bad bullet placement and wounded/lost game animals. There are several different ammo manufacturers who make a.223 round specifically designed for deer. Dont bother with the Ackley improved AI version. The landowner will also have to remove deer feeders from their property as part of the DNRs efforts. South Carolina hunters are permitted to buy a hunting license in the following form. Limits listed do not apply to quota deer taken on properties enrolled in the Deer Quota Program. When up to 60% of animals die, live trapping and trucking has a diametrically opposed effect to non-hunters original concerns. Learn More . William W. (Bill) Gabbard. What is the best caliber rifle for hunting deer? We are willing to accept .24 as the reasonable minimum caliber for Class 2 game. Introduced in 1963, the .300 Win. Tags issued for a particular tract of land can only be used on that tract and they must be used on all deer (antlerless and/or antlered) for which a quota was issued. Through the IFW, archers can learn new skills under a new program. In a sad twist of fate, the .243 Winchester has become known as a childs deer cartridge. There are several quarter-bores that are great deer rounds. This small bullet has a travel time of 2,570 feet per second and a velocity of 300 yards at its terminal range. County and municipal laws however may have restrictions. In a well-constructed action, it is one of the most accurate rounds out there and is capable to 500 yards on deer and other big game. The.243,.25, and.270 calibers are those that may be considered for a deer hunt at this time in size. Deer may be taken with handguns, rifles, and shotguns. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. To improve hunting safety for both the public and the environment, South Carolina has adopted this certification process. Commercial natural deer urine products are made of urine collected from deer in other states, many of which have diagnosed CWD. It is critical that the tag is attached to the deer/carcass until it is quartered or received by the processor. in the rifle of our choice. In order to hunt deer in South Carolina, you need a valid hunting license, a big game permit, and a deer tag. at 200 yards .308 Winchester, 125 grain at 2660 fps: 1249 ft. lb. There are numerous zones around the world that have a different season than others, depending on whether they are private or public land. deer hunting in south carolina can be a challenging and rewarding experience. I agree with my friend Ron Spomer that it is probably the best deer cartridge youve never tried. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use. The Winchester 311 was designed by William Smith. While the AR-15 is not your granddads deer rifle, it comes with a variety of advantages for the user. 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