Legal Status: Non-Game, but Bring a License

Lesson 4 of 18 · Module 1, lesson 4

Assumes the Hunting Primer. New here? Start there first.

Your objective

By the end, you'll be able to explain what non-game status means for the woodchuck hunt, identify when a hunting license is required, and know where to verify current SCDNR regulations before you go.

Reference ~6 min

You find a perfect active burrow in a Piedmont hayfield, the farmer says go ahead, and you’re headed out with a rifle. Do you need a license? Is there a season? Can you take as many as you find? Getting the legal framework wrong before the first shot is how a good hunt becomes a citation. This lesson is short and factual — read it, verify it, then go hunt.

Three categories: game, furbearer, non-game

South Carolina wildlife law divides animals into several regulatory categories. For a hunter, three matter most:

Game animals (deer, turkey, black bear, squirrel, rabbit, waterfowl, etc.) have designated seasons with specific open and close dates, daily bag limits, and often specific equipment restrictions. You can only legally hunt them during their season.

Furbearers (beaver, bobcat, fox, mink, muskrat, otter, raccoon) have both hunting seasons and regulated trapping seasons. The trapping rules in particular have specific dates, methods, and licensing requirements separate from a standard hunting license.

Non-game wildlife includes species not listed in either category above. Non-game status means:

No closed season — the animal may be taken year-round.
No bag limit — no legal maximum on how many you may take in a day or season.

The woodchuck (Marmota monax) is non-game in South Carolina. This is consistent with its status in most southeastern states and reflects its nuisance classification: it is not managed as a population-limited sport species but rather as a resident pest that landowners and hunters can control without restriction.

The why Why non-game and not vermin or pest?

The legal term “non-game” simply means the species is not listed in the managed game regulations. It does not mean the animal is worthless or that anything goes. State wildlife agencies retain authority over all wildlife, and you still need permission to be on land and a license to hunt. “Non-game” is a regulatory category, not an invitation to ignore the rules.

The license requirement: non-game does not mean no license

This is the mistake new hunters make. Because there is no season and no bag limit, they assume no license is needed. That is wrong.

In South Carolina, any person age 16 or older must possess a valid SC hunting license while hunting. The license requirement attaches to the act of hunting on land in South Carolina — it is not triggered by the game status of the target species. A valid SC hunting license covers you for non-game species like the woodchuck.

Landowner permission: required everywhere on private land

Non-game status does not grant access to land you do not own or control. The trespassing laws still apply. On private land, you must have explicit permission from the landowner before hunting. Written permission is best practice and required in some situations.

On SCDNR Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs), additional rules may apply beyond a standard hunting license. Some WMAs require a WMA permit; specific areas have zone-specific rules. Check the SCDNR WMA regulations for any area you intend to hunt.

Edge case Can a landowner kill groundhogs on their own property without a license?

South Carolina law generally allows a landowner to take nuisance wildlife causing damage to their property without a hunting license under specific circumstances. However, the exact scope of this exemption — which species it covers, what methods are allowed, and whether it extends to licensed agents acting on the landowner’s behalf — can be complex and changes. A hunter invited by a farmer to hunt groundhogs is not operating under a landowner exemption; that hunter needs a valid license. Do not assume any exemption applies to you without verifying with SCDNR.

What this means in practice

Here is the groundhog hunt in legal terms:

Factor	Woodchuck (SC)
Regulated game season?	No — year-round
Bag limit?	No
Hunting license required?	Yes (age 16+, most situations)
Landowner permission on private land?	Yes — always
WMA permit may be required?	Yes — check the specific WMA

Knowledge check

Your friend says: 'Groundhogs have no season and no bag limit, so I don't need a license to hunt them.' What is wrong with this reasoning?

The license requirement applies to the act of hunting in SC, not to whether the target species has a season. Groundhogs do have a bag limit, your friend just doesn't know it. Your friend is right — no season means no license needed.

Show answer

Correct: The license requirement applies to the act of hunting in SC, not to whether the target species has a season. — Correct. The license is required because you are hunting in South Carolina — the regulatory category of the animal does not change that. Non-game status removes season and bag limit restrictions; it does not remove the license requirement.
Not quite: Groundhogs do have a bag limit, your friend just doesn't know it. — As non-game, groundhogs have no bag limit in SC. But that doesn't help your friend — the license is still required regardless.
Not quite: Your friend is right — no season means no license needed. — This is the common error. Non-game status removes the season and bag limit. It does not remove the hunting license requirement. Always verify current rules with SCDNR.

Knowledge check

Which of the following species in South Carolina would have a regulated season with specific dates and bag limits — unlike the woodchuck?

Coyote White-tailed deer Armadillo

Show answer

Not quite: Coyote — Coyotes, like woodchucks, are non-game in SC with no closed season. A useful parallel — you'll see the same license-required-but-no-season framework.
Correct: White-tailed deer — Right. Deer are game animals with specific season dates, bag limits, zone rules, and tag requirements. That is the contrast with a non-game species like the woodchuck — night-and-day difference in regulation.
Not quite: Armadillo — Armadillos are also non-game with no regulated season. Non-game is actually quite common for species the state manages primarily as nuisance animals.

Knowledge check

A farmer gives you verbal permission to hunt groundhogs on his property. What else do you need before you hunt?

A valid SC hunting license (if you are 16 or older) Nothing — landowner permission covers everything A groundhog tag or permit from SCDNR

Show answer

Correct: A valid SC hunting license (if you are 16 or older) — Correct. Landowner permission is required and you have it. You still need your license. Carry it on you any time you are hunting.
Not quite: Nothing — landowner permission covers everything — Permission is required but not sufficient. The hunting license requirement is separate from the access question. You need both.
Not quite: A groundhog tag or permit from SCDNR — There is no groundhog tag in SC — non-game species do not require species-specific tags or permits, just the general hunting license. Verify this remains current with SCDNR.

Take it to the woods

Legal compliance is a pre-hunt step, not an afterthought.

Legal pre-hunt checklist

0/5

Purchase a valid SC hunting license if you are 16 or older and do not already have one. Buy online at SCDNR's website or at a license agent.
Safety Carry your license on your person while hunting — not in the truck.
Check the current SCDNR hunting regulations at dnr.sc.gov before your first hunt of the season. Regulations are verified current only if you check them yourself — this lesson describes the general framework but is not a substitute.
Get explicit landowner permission on any private land — written is best practice.
If hunting a WMA, check WMA-specific permit requirements for that specific area.

Sources

SCDNR Hunting License Information: https://www.dnr.sc.gov/licenses/huntinglicense.html
SCDNR General Hunting Regulations (eRegulations): https://www.eregulations.com/southcarolina/hunting/general-rules-regulations
SCDNR Nuisance Wildlife — Woodchucks: https://www.dnr.sc.gov/wildlife/publications/nuisance/woodchucks.pdf
SCDNR FAQs (eRegulations): https://www.eregulations.com/southcarolina/hunting/scdnr-frequently-asked-questions

All regulations noted in this lesson should be verified against current SCDNR rules before hunting. Season structures, license requirements, and non-game classifications can change annually.

If you remember nothing else

Groundhogs are non-game in South Carolina: no closed season and no bag limit — year-round opportunity.
Non-game does NOT mean no license. Anyone 16 or older hunting on most land in SC must carry a valid SC hunting license.
Non-game status is different from game animals (deer, turkey) which have seasons and bag limits, and from furbearers (beaver, fox) which have trapping seasons.
Landowner permission is required on all private land. Hunting on Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) has additional rules.
Always verify current SCDNR regulations before you hunt — classification and license requirements can change.

How ready do you feel?

How ready are you to explain the legal framework for groundhog hunting to a new hunting partner — especially why a license is still required even with no closed season?

Before you go — a quick look back

Distributed practice: one fast recall from an earlier lesson keeps it from fading.

Quick recall

From Crop, Pasture, and the Nuisance Case — which category of groundhog damage is most likely to get you quick permission from a horse or cattle farmer?

Show me the answer

Show answer

Correct: Show me the answer — The burrow hole and mound hazard — specifically the risk of livestock stepping in a hole and breaking a leg, and mower blades destroyed by dirt mounds. Leading with that specific damage in your access pitch is the most compelling approach.

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