The hunts are popular, with over 350 hunters applying for these hunts annually.

Morton adjusted the hunt schedule again during the 2006-07 season.

“We felt the sex ratio on Fant’s Grove was getting better,” he said. “Additionally, manpower has become an issue and the hunting pressure during the archery season has really increased. As a result, we only held two 1 1/2-day hunts last season.”

Sixty-five slots were available for each hunt. The number of hunters that applied was 386.

Because of the hunt schedule, weather has always played a role in harvest success. Since 2001, only the 2003 season has not seen any precipitation.

“Two seasons ago, we had a major ice storm,” Morton said. “Even then, 54 hunters still showed up to hunt. The weather this past season cooperated fairly well.”

Morton said 23 deer (eight bucks, 15 does) were taken during the two hunts, with most of the bucks coming early. The total deer harvest over the last six seasons has been 56, 25, 24, 41, 34 and 26.

“The majority of bucks were killed during the first hunt this past season,” Morton said. “We had a 12-pointer killed that grossed near 148 points and netted about 136 points. The other bucks, including three 8-pointers and two 9-pointers averaged in the 110 Boone and Crockett size class.”

The habitat at Fant’s Grove is constantly changing.

“Clemson’s School of Forest Resources still has an active forestry management program on the property,” Morton said. “This plays a vital role on the deer herd. The timber harvest creates a lot of browse for deer.”

Morton said wildlife openings are still being planted on the WMA, but some of the harder-to-reach ones have been converted to orchards featuring crabapples, sawtooth oaks and persimmon trees. This past fall, he said, one orchard was in full production with five types of soft mast being produced.

Despite the good things happening at Fant’s Grove, Morton does have a concern.

“We have lost a lot of WMA land in the Upstate,” he said. “There are some Corps of Engineers properties available, but Fant’s Grove remains as the only WMA land in Anderson County.

“It has a great reputation as a place to archery hunt, and the area is beginning to experience a tremendous amount of pressure. We’ll continue to evaluate the harvest and may have to make regulation changes in the future to handle the pressure.”

For additional information about Fant’s Grove WMA, contact SCDNR’s Region 1 office at (864) 654-1671.

WEBB CENTER WMA

One of the oldest draw deer hunts takes place at the Webb Center WMA in Hampton County. Hunters lucky enough to be selected for a hunt here enjoy a unique experience.

Unlike other WMA hunts, hunters spend the night in the old plantation house located at the WMA. In addition, they are treated to supper following the evening hunt and breakfast before the following morning’s hunt. Hunts are held from mid-September to December and include an evening and morning hunt usually occurring on a Monday/Tuesday or on a Friday/Saturday.

During the 2006 season, 1,351 hunters applied for 540 slots.

Adjacent to Webb Center WMA, hunts are also held on Palachucola WMA. Just to the north, a recently acquired piece of property, Hamilton Ridge WMA, was opened for draw hunts. Harvest totals for both areas were unavailable, but hunts will be held this season on both WMAs.

Information for Webb Center, Palachucola and Hamilton Ridge WMAs can be obtained by contacting SCDNR’s Webb Center office at (803) 625-3569.

OTHER DRAW HUNTS
Other areas that support draw hunts are Santee Cooper WMA and Santee State Park in Orangeburg County, with the last area’s drawing administered by the state park (803/854-2408).

Women-only draw deer hunts are held at Webb Center WMA and North Dike WMA, located in Berkeley County on the north side of Lake Moultrie. Up to 30 slots are available at Webb, and until the 2006 season, every woman who has applied the last two years has gone on the hunt. Twenty-three applications with 32 applicants were received last season for 30 slots. At North Dike WMA, 32 women applied for the 20 slots available during 2006 season.

A mobility-impaired hunt is held at Webb Center WMA as well. Ten slots are available and over two dozen applicants were received for last season’s hunts.

With the kids out of school for the summer, relatives in town enjoying the beach and the weather feeling more like baseball season than hunting season, deer season is quickly approaching. Take a break from the rat race, and get your application submitted for this season’s draw deer hunts. Applications are available at any SCDNR office or by accessing the Web at www.dnr.sc.gov.

Good luck.

Find more about South Carolina fishing and hunting at: SCgameandfish.com.