Photo by Ralph Hensley.

Hunters have full schedules.

Between the numerous outdoor opportunities that exist in South Carolina and family and work obligations, it is tough to find sufficient time to ever spend all you would like in the woods.

Many hunters find it hard to justify joining a hunt club because of their busy lives. Escalating membership costs and lease rates frankly have priced many hunters out of the game as well.

All is not lost, however. Many wildlife management areas (WMAs) of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and a few other pieces of public land offer high-quality deer hunts for hunters who can only spend a few days in the woods or for those people looking for a change of view from their deer stands.

It doesn’t hurt, either, that some WMAs apply quality deer management practices. Therefore, you might get a chance at a nice buck. Otherwise, antlerless deer abound on many areas, so freezer meat is a perpetual, and encouraged, option as well.

To get in on one of these hunts requires filling out an application -- and deadlines are fast approaching. So, take time out from your busy schedule to complete and submit an application for this fall’s hunts. Here’s a rundown of various draw hunts for deer to help you in the process.

DONNELLEY WMA
Your chances for being drawn to hunt at Donnelley WMA in Colleton County are pretty good.

Donnelley WMA is included on what SCDNR coins the “five-site” hunt application. What this means is that Donnelley is paired with four other WMAs on the application. The other WMAs include Palachucola, Santee Cooper, Bonneau Ferry and Bear Island.

The benefit of this application is you can apply to hunt on one or all of these areas. You only will be drawn for one, however. But if your preference is only to hunt Donnelley WMA, that’s fine, whereas another hunter might apply to hunt at Donnelley WMA and Palachucola and Santee Cooper WMAs. If you are willing to hunt any of the WMAs on the application, then you stand a better chance of hunting one of them.

Four hundred and sixty-six five-site applications were received last season. These applications totaled 1,170 hunters who were vying for 766 available slots, so you had a 2-in-3 chance of being drawn.

The biologist at Donnelley WMA describes the draw deer hunts on the area as being drawn for your own 8,048-acre deer club lease that is limited to 30 members.

Donnelley WMA used to hold 12 1 1/2-day hunts for 30 hunters each. Budget cuts caused a rethinking of the hunt schedule, and since 2003, the area has functioned with seven 2 1/2-day hunts for 30 hunters between late September and late November. The number of hunter days is the same as in the past, which still allows harvest objectives to be met without the outlay of manpower.

The other good thing is you get to have the entire area to yourself for a longer period of time.

“It used to be that we catered to hunters a lot more,” said Dean Harrigal, SCDNR biologist at Donnelley WMA. “We don’t drive people to and from stands unless they require it.

“Today, hunters are free to scout the entire area and place their stand wherever they would prefer. If they find an area that is attractive to them, they are free to hunt it. They are no longer bound to drawing for one of our stands, like in the past.”

With this in mind, Harrigal recommended that hunters scout out more than one area, but don’t over scout. He said if you find a good place, stick with it. Because you’re potentially sharing the area with 29 other hunters, he mentioned it is a good idea to have a backup spot in case someone is in your area. Hunters place a pin on a map at the check station to indicate where they are hunting.