6
Daily duck limit
8
Daily goose limit
6
Teal limit (early)
$12.00
Waterfowl license (res.)
Season Information
Season DatesEarly Teal: Sept 1–16; Regular Season: Nov 8 – Jan 26 (split)
FlywayAtlantic Flyway
Zone InformationSouth Carolina has a single statewide waterfowl zone. The ACE Basin (Ashepoo, Combahee, and Edisto rivers) is the most significant waterfowl habitat complex. The Pee Dee and Santee-Cooper river systems are also important.
Species NotesDucks: 6/day; mallard 4 (2 hens); black duck 2; pintail 1; canvasback 1; redhead 2; scaup 2; wood duck 3. Geese: Canada 8/day; snow/blue/Ross's 20/day.
License & Permit Requirements
State Hunting License
✅ Required
Federal Duck Stamp
✅ Required
HIP Registration
✅ Required
HIP Registration Info
HIP registration is required annually for all waterfowl hunters at no cost. Register online at dnr.sc.gov or at any license vendor. Your HIP confirmation number must be carried while hunting migratory birds.
How to Get Licensed for Waterfowl Hunting
1
Purchase a South Carolina hunting license ($12.00 resident) from South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.
2
Complete HIP Registration (free) — available when purchasing your hunting license or through the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources website.
3
Purchase the Federal Duck Stamp ($25) — required for all waterfowl hunters age 16+. Available at USPS offices or online.
Additional Notes: South Carolina's ACE Basin is one of the largest undeveloped estuaries on the Atlantic Coast and a premier waterfowl destination for mallards, teal, wigeon, and gadwall. The vast rice field impoundments managed throughout the Lowcountry are a direct legacy of antebellum agriculture and continue to provide exceptional habitat. Wood duck populations are robust in the cypress swamps and blackwater river systems of the coastal plain. The Francis Marion National Forest and Bear Island WMA provide quality public waterfowl hunting access.
Buy SC License — South Carolina Department of Natural Resources