WMA Dog-Running Rules

Lesson 13 of 36 · Module 3, lesson 5

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

Your objective

By the end, you'll be able to describe the WMA night-window rule for dog-running raccoon, contrast WMA season dates with private-land dates, and identify the steps required to confirm an individual WMA's specific rules.

Reference ~7 min

A hunter drives 45 minutes to his favorite WMA for a Sunday afternoon dog run. He is in the guns-and-dogs season window — on private land. What he forgot: on this WMA, dogs may only be cast on raccoon after sunset. He fires up the hound at 3 p.m. and is technically in violation before the dog even opens up. Five minutes of research would have saved the drive and the citation risk.

Quick recall

From the Seasons and Limits lesson — the WMA guns-and-dogs season runs roughly September 16 through February 28. How does that compare to the private-land guns-and-dogs window?

The WMA window is shorter — it closes about two weeks before private land does Same dates — WMA and private land follow identical seasons WMA is longer — public land has more liberal seasons to compensate for the access

Show answer

Correct: The WMA window is shorter — it closes about two weeks before private land does — Right. Private land typically runs through March 15; WMA guns-and-dogs runs through February 28. That two-week gap at the end of winter matters if you hunt WMAs.
Not quite: Same dates — WMA and private land follow identical seasons — WMA seasons are distinct from private-land seasons and are usually shorter. The private-land guns-and-dogs window extends into mid-March; WMA does not.
Not quite: WMA is longer — public land has more liberal seasons to compensate for the access — It is the opposite. WMA seasons are more restricted, not more liberal, than private land. WMAs have shorter windows and additional access rules.

The night-only rule on WMAs

The most important WMA-specific rule for hound hunters: on WMAs, dogs may only be run on raccoon (and opossum, fox, and bobcat) between 30 minutes after official sunset and 30 minutes before official sunrise. There is no WMA daytime dog-running period for raccoon. Period.

On private land, the dogs-only season (March 16 – September 14) allows hounds to be run during daylight hours without firearms. That private-land daytime privilege does not exist on WMAs. WMA dog-running is night-only, during the WMA season window.

WMA legal window: 30 min after sunset to 30 min before sunrise WMA daytime: no raccoon dog-running

Diagram (not a photo). The WMA night window is bounded by sunset + 30 minutes and sunrise - 30 minutes. Outside that window, no dog-running for raccoon on WMAs. Private land has a separate daytime dogs-only period that WMAs do not.

WMA season structure vs. private land — side by side

The two structures are easy to confuse. Here they are together:

	Dogs Only	Guns and Dogs
Private land	March 16 – September 14 (daylight permitted)	September 15 – March 15 (night hunting rules apply)
WMA	September 1–15 (night only)	September 16 – February 28 (night only)

Key contrasts:

Private land has a long summer/fall dogs-only window. WMAs have a brief 15-day dogs-only window in early September.
Private land extends into mid-March. WMAs close at the end of February.
WMA dog-running is night-only even during the dogs-only window.

(Verify current SCDNR regulations before you hunt — dates change yearly.)

When individual WMA research matters most

There are three situations where individual WMA research is non-negotiable:

1. First-time visit to any WMA. Even if you’ve hunted raccoon on other WMAs, each area is different. Access, dog-running zones, and check-in requirements vary.

2. Early and late season. The opens and closes are where date mistakes happen. A trip on September 14 to an area where the WMA dogs-only period opened September 1 — and closed September 15 — requires knowing those exact dates.

3. After any regulatory change. SC updates WMA rules regularly, sometimes mid-cycle. Checking the SCDNR WMA regulations page each season is not optional.

Deep dive What is a 'quota hunt' and how do they apply to raccoon on WMAs?

Some SC WMAs hold managed quota hunts where participation is limited and a separate application or permit is required beyond the standard hunting license. Quota hunts are more common for deer and turkey on WMAs, but certain WMAs have applied quota structures to small game and furbearers as well. If the WMA page lists a quota hunt, you must apply in advance — showing up the night of a quota hunt without the permit is a violation even if you hold all the standard licenses. Search the SCDNR quota hunt listings each season.

Where to find the individual WMA rules

SCDNR maintains individual area pages for each WMA. The path:

Go to dnr.sc.gov
Navigate to Hunting > Wildlife Management Areas
Select your WMA from the list
Read the area-specific regulations for the current year

The statewide WMA regulation summary (in the annual hunting guide and on eRegulations) is the starting point. The individual WMA page is the final word.

Apply the rules

Knowledge check

It is 4:00 p.m. on October 10. You are at a WMA and plan to run your hound on raccoon. What does SC law allow at this moment?

Nothing — on WMAs, dog-running for raccoon must wait until 30 minutes after sunset Dogs-only running is fine — WMAs permit daytime dog-running during October Guns and dogs are both legal — October 10 is in the guns-and-dogs WMA window

Show answer

Correct: Nothing — on WMAs, dog-running for raccoon must wait until 30 minutes after sunset — Right. The WMA night-window rule means you cannot cast your hound on raccoon until 30 minutes after official sunset, regardless of when the statewide season is open. Wait for the window.
Not quite: Dogs-only running is fine — WMAs permit daytime dog-running during October — WMAs do not have a daytime dog-running window for raccoon. The night-only restriction applies to all dog-running on WMAs during raccoon season — there is no daytime dogs-only period on WMA land.
Not quite: Guns and dogs are both legal — October 10 is in the guns-and-dogs WMA window — October 10 is in the WMA guns-and-dogs window by date — but neither guns nor dogs may be used until 30 minutes after sunset. The date is right; the time of day is wrong.

Knowledge check

A hunter checks the statewide WMA season chart online and sees raccoon guns-and-dogs is open on the WMA he plans to visit. Is that enough research before he goes?

No — he should also read that specific WMA's page for additional rules, permits, or quota requirements Yes — the statewide season chart is the official rule and covers all WMAs He should call a game warden — online information may be out of date

Show answer

Correct: No — he should also read that specific WMA's page for additional rules, permits, or quota requirements — Correct. The statewide chart is the starting point, not the final word. Individual WMAs layer on access permits, check-in requirements, quota hunts, gate hours, and more. Read the area-specific page.
Not quite: Yes — the statewide season chart is the official rule and covers all WMAs — The statewide chart sets the framework. Individual WMAs add specific rules on top. The area-specific page on the SCDNR website is the final authority for that location.
Not quite: He should call a game warden — online information may be out of date — Calling a warden is not wrong, but SCDNR keeps its WMA pages current and that is the right primary source. Reading the area-specific page on dnr.sc.gov is the standard first step.

Decision

It is March 5. You want to run your hound on raccoon. You have private land available and a WMA 20 miles away. Which is open for guns-and-dogs hunting?

Private land only — the WMA guns-and-dogs season has already closed

Correct. The WMA guns-and-dogs season closes around February 28; March 5 is past that date. Private-land guns-and-dogs runs through approximately March 15, so that option is still open. Good legal awareness.

Both — the WMA is open as long as private land is open

Wrong. WMA and private-land seasons do not run together. WMA guns-and-dogs closes about two weeks before private land does. March 5 is inside the private-land window but outside the WMA window.

Neither — all raccoon seasons close in February

Private-land guns-and-dogs does not close until approximately March 15. March 5 is still in the private-land window. Only the WMA is closed at this point.

Take it to the woods

WMA trip planning checklist

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Confirm the WMA guns-and-dogs or dogs-only window is open on your planned hunt date using the current SCDNR season chart. Verify current SCDNR regulations — these change yearly.
Safety Navigate to the specific WMA's page on dnr.sc.gov and read any additional rules, gate hours, or permit requirements.
Check whether the WMA runs a quota hunt for small game or raccoon — if so, confirm you have the required permit.
Know tonight's official sunset time and add 30 minutes — that is when you can legally cast your dog.
Know tomorrow's official sunrise time and subtract 30 minutes — that is the latest you can hunt before the window closes.
Brief any hunting partner on the night-only rule before the hunt — 'We cannot run a dog until 30 minutes after sunset, no exceptions on WMA land.'

Sources

SCDNR WMA Regulations (eRegulations): https://www.eregulations.com/southcarolina/hunting/wma-regulations (verify current SCDNR regulations before you hunt — these change yearly)
SC Code of Regulations § 123-40 (WMA Regulations, Cornell LII): https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/south-carolina/R-123-40
SCDNR Small Game Seasons (eRegulations): https://www.eregulations.com/southcarolina/hunting/small-game-seasons (verify current SCDNR regulations before you hunt — these change yearly)
SCDNR WMA listings and individual area pages: https://www.dnr.sc.gov

If you remember nothing else

On WMAs, dogs may only be run on raccoon between 30 minutes after sunset and 30 minutes before sunrise — no daytime dog-running for raccoon on WMAs.
WMA raccoon seasons are shorter than private-land seasons: typically Sept 1–15 (dogs only, night) and Sept 16 – Feb 28 (guns and dogs, night).
Private land has a year-round dogs-only period outside the guns-and-dogs window; WMAs do not.
Each WMA may have additional rules: access permits, quota hunts, gate hours, specific parking areas. Check the individual WMA rules before every trip.
Always verify current WMA regulations at dnr.sc.gov — WMA rules change more frequently than statewide seasons.

How ready do you feel?

How ready are you to look up a specific WMA's raccoon rules, confirm you are in the right season window, and explain the night-only constraint to a new hunting partner?

Before you go — a quick look back

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

Quick recall

From The Night-Hunting Statute — what are the two conditions that make artificial lights legal during a night raccoon hunt in SC?

Show me the answer

Show answer

Correct: Show me the answer — The animal must be TREED or CORNERED WITH DOGS. That is the only condition under which SC law permits lights on raccoon — no spotlighting, no scanning for eye-shine before the dog trees.

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