National Wildlife Refuge · South Carolina · FWS Region 4

Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge is located in Chesterfield County, South Carolina, with about 45,912 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 8 mapped hunt units: 5 open with special regulations and 3 closed, covering about 45,064 huntable acres.

5 with special regs3 closedPermit requiredYouth hunts
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
8hunt units
45.1Khuntable acres
45.9KFWS-owned acres
6game categories

Carolina Sandhills NWR hunt unit map

Hunt units are colored by 2026–2027 status. Toggle layers for FWS-owned land, the approved refuge boundary and private easements. Use satellite imagery to scout marshes, timber edges and access points.

Loading interactive map…
OpenSpecial regulationsClosedFWS-owned landWPA (public)Refuge boundaryEasement (private) Tip: switch to Satellite or USGS Topo in the layer menu · click the map for GPS coordinates
Take it into the field: KML (Google Earth / onX) GPX waypoints GeoJSON

Hunting at Carolina Sandhills NWR

Permitted hunting categories are big game, wild turkey, upland birds, migratory birds, small game, and feral & exotic, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules. Fishing is available — freshwater fishing. A refuge permit is required for at least some activities, in addition to your state license. Special youth hunting opportunities are offered.

The longleaf pine/wiregrass ecosystem common on Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge once covered 90 million acres in the Southeast, but today fewer than 2 million acres remain.

Youth hunting

A deer hunt is offered each fall for 10- to 15-year-olds with parental or guardian supervision. There is also a season for youth turkey hunters.

All refuges with youth hunts →
Big GameWhite-tailed and mule deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear and other large mammalsWild TurkeySpring and fall wild turkeyUpland BirdsPheasant, quail, grouse, prairie chicken and partridgeMigratory BirdsMourning dove, woodcock, snipe, rails, gallinules and sandhill craneSmall GameSquirrel, rabbit, hare, raccoon, opossum and other small mammalsFeral & ExoticFeral hogs and other non-native species where refuge rules allow

Categories are those listed by USFWS for this station; exact species, seasons and bag limits follow South Carolina regulations plus refuge-specific rules.

Hunt units (8)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 45,064 (98%)Closed: 842 (2%)45.1Khuntable acres
  • Special regulations45,064 ac 98%
  • Closed842 ac 2%
Units by size (acres)
Hunt Area
37,581 ac
Wildlife Drive Unit
6,451 ac
Oxpen Unit
890 ac
Martins Lake Unit
401 ac
Lake Bee Recreation Area
262 ac
Administrative Area
179 ac
Dove Field A
113 ac
Dove Field B
30 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Dove Field A
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 113 Required
Other, Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunters are required to have a refuge regulations permit and turkey hunters are issued a quota permit.
🧒 A deer hunt is offered each fall for 10- to 15-year-olds with parental or guardian supervision.…
Dove Field B
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 30 Required
Other, Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunters are required to have a refuge regulations permit and turkey hunters are issued a quota permit.
🧒 A deer hunt is offered each fall for 10- to 15-year-olds with parental or guardian supervision.…
Hunt Area
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 37,581 Required
Other, Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunters are required to have a refuge regulations permit and turkey hunters are issued a quota permit.
🧒 A deer hunt is offered each fall for 10- to 15-year-olds with parental or guardian supervision.…
Oxpen Unit
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 890 Required
Other, Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunters are required to have a refuge regulations permit and turkey hunters are issued a quota permit.
🧒 A deer hunt is offered each fall for 10- to 15-year-olds with parental or guardian supervision.…
Wildlife Drive Unit
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 6,451 Required
Other, Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunters are required to have a refuge regulations permit and turkey hunters are issued a quota permit.
🧒 A deer hunt is offered each fall for 10- to 15-year-olds with parental or guardian supervision.…
Administrative Area
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 179 Required
Other, Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunters are required to have a refuge regulations permit and turkey hunters are issued a quota permit.
🧒 A deer hunt is offered each fall for 10- to 15-year-olds with parental or guardian supervision.…
Lake Bee Recreation Area
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 262 Required
Other, Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunters are required to have a refuge regulations permit and turkey hunters are issued a quota permit.
🧒 A deer hunt is offered each fall for 10- to 15-year-olds with parental or guardian supervision.…
Martins Lake Unit
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 401 Required
Other, Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunters are required to have a refuge regulations permit and turkey hunters are issued a quota permit.
🧒 A deer hunt is offered each fall for 10- to 15-year-olds with parental or guardian supervision.…

Carolina Sandhills NWR by the numbers

With about 45,064 huntable acres, Carolina Sandhills NWR ranks #1 of 7 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in South Carolina and #57 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 98% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Hunt Area (37,581 acres, special regulations), while the smallest, Dove Field B, covers 30 acres. Every huntable unit requires a refuge permit.

3 units totaling 842 acres are closed to hunting (Administrative Area, Lake Bee Recreation Area, and Martins Lake Unit). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 45,912 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 1,041 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.

When to hunt Carolina Sandhills NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. South Carolina sets the exact dates, and refuges often open fewer days than the statewide season — use this to plan scouting, then confirm the 2026–2027 dates in the state regulations and the refuge hunt brochure.

Typical season windows — Big Game, Wild Turkey, Upland Birds, Migratory Birds, Small Game, Feral & Exotic
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
Archery deerFirearm deer
🦃 Wild Turkey
Spring gobblerFall (some states)
🐦 Upland Birds
Pheasant, quail, grouse
🕊️ Migratory Birds
Dove (Sept. 1 opener)Woodcock & snipeLate dove split
🐇 Small Game
Squirrel & rabbit
🐗 Feral & Exotic
Feral hog (often year-round)

Permits & licenses

Refuge permit

Required

All hunters are required to have a refuge regulations permit and turkey hunters are issued a quota permit.

Type: Other, Signed Brochure or Similar

How to get it:

  • 🪧 Kiosk at the refuge
  • ✉️ By mail
  • 💻 Online (FWS)
  • 🏛️ Refuge visitor center / office

You'll also need

  • A valid South Carolina hunting license and any required tags or stamps — South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
  • Federal Duck Stamp (waterfowl hunters 16+) and HIP certification for migratory birds
  • Non-toxic shot for waterfowl (federal requirement)
  • Hunter education certification where your state requires it
  • The current refuge hunt brochure / regulations (often must be signed and carried)

Fishing at Carolina Sandhills NWR

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing

Sport fishing is permitted year-round, unless otherwise posted, on 310 acres of various impoundments. Boat ramps are provided on larger lakes. Available species include largemouth bass, sunfish and catfish. Electric trolling motors only are allowed.

State fishing licenses and regulations apply. Some waters close seasonally to protect wildlife.

How to get to Carolina Sandhills NWR

Navigate

Destination: Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
34.58051, -80.23384
DMS
34°34′49.8″N 80°14′01.8″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Hartsville, SC17 mi NW of town
  • Florence, SC38 mi NW of town
  • Charlotte, NC57 mi SE of town
  • Columbia, SC61 mi NE of town

Closest airports

  • CLT Charlotte Douglas59 mi
  • MYR Myrtle Beach Intl97 mi

Straight-line distances. Driving routes are longer; many refuge roads are gravel and may close seasonally.

The navigation point is the station reference location published by USFWS — often the headquarters or main entrance. For a specific hunt unit, open its page or click it on the map for coordinates and parking planning.

Sunrise, sunset & shooting hours

Today at Carolina Sandhills NWR

Legal light*–
Sunrise–
Sunset–

*½ hour before sunrise — the standard federal shooting-hour start for migratory game birds. Times in New York local time.

Full season calculator →

2026–2027 season sun table

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20266:23 AM6:53 AM7:49 PM12h 56m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:32 AM7:02 AM7:29 PM12h 27m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:44 AM7:14 AM7:06 PM11h 52m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:55 AM7:25 AM6:47 PM11h 23m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:10 AM6:40 AM5:28 PM10h 48m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:24 AM6:54 AM5:17 PM10h 23m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:39 AM7:09 AM5:11 PM10h 02m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:50 AM7:20 AM5:11 PM9h 52m
Fri, Jan 1, 20276:57 AM7:27 AM5:20 PM9h 53m
Fri, Jan 15, 20276:57 AM7:27 AM5:31 PM10h 04m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:49 AM7:19 AM5:48 PM10h 29m

Computed for 34.581, -80.234 (EDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.

7-day hunting weather

Loading National Weather Service forecast…

Forecast from the National Weather Service. Wind direction matters — plan your approach downwind of where game beds.

Guides for hunting Carolina Sandhills NWR

Deer Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges: Quota Hunts, Archery Units and Stand Rules

How refuge deer hunts work — lotteries and quota permits, archery-only and muzzleloader units, tree-stand rules…

Turkey Hunting on Wildlife Refuges: Lotteries, Pressured Birds and Safety

How spring and fall turkey hunts work on National Wildlife Refuges, how to scout and call public-land gobblers, and…

Pheasant and Upland Bird Hunting on Waterfowl Production Areas

Why WPAs are some of the best walk-in pheasant ground in the Midwest, how to hunt them early and late in the season…

Dove Hunting on Wildlife Refuges: Managed Fields, Openers and Rules

How dove hunting works on National Wildlife Refuges — managed fields and draw days, HIP and plugged-gun rules…

HIP Certification Explained: The Harvest Information Program for Migratory Bird Hunters

What HIP is, who needs it, how to get certified in each state you hunt, and why your answers help set duck, goose and…

Your First Public-Land Hunt: A Step-by-Step Checklist for New Hunters

Hunter education, licenses, choosing a first species, gear, practice, scouting with maps and what to expect on your…

Carolina Sandhills NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Carolina Sandhills NWR?

Yes. Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 5 units (45,064 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, wild turkey, upland birds, migratory birds, small game, and feral & exotic. Seasons follow state regulations plus refuge-specific rules in 50 CFR Part 32.

Do I need a permit to hunt Carolina Sandhills NWR?

Yes — Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge requires a refuge permit for some or all hunting. Permit type: Other and Signed Brochure or Similar. Permits can be obtained kiosk, mail, online through fws, or visitor center. You also need the appropriate state hunting license and, for waterfowl, a Federal Duck Stamp.

Can you fish at Carolina Sandhills NWR?

Yes. Fishing is permitted (freshwater fishing). State fishing licenses and regulations apply along with refuge rules.

Where is Carolina Sandhills NWR located?

Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge is in Chesterfield County, South Carolina, about 17 miles NW of Hartsville, SC (straight-line). GPS: 34.58051, -80.23384.

What are legal shooting hours at Carolina Sandhills NWR?

Migratory game bird shooting hours are generally one-half hour before sunrise to sunset; big game and other seasons follow state rules. See the sunrise/sunset table on this page and confirm in the refuge hunt brochure.

Nearby refuges & public land

Pee Dee NWR

Anson County, NC · 36 mi N

4 special2 closed
🦌🐦🕊️🐇🎣

7.9K huntable acres

Santee NWR

Clarendon County, SC · 74 mi S

4 special2 closed
🦌🐇🐗🎣

12K huntable acres

Orangeburg NFH

Orangeburg County, SC · 89 mi SW

1 closed
🎣

Waccamaw NWR

Georgetown County, SC · 93 mi SE

6 special3 closed
🦌🦆🦃🕊️🐇🐗🎣

33.6K huntable acres

Cape Romain NWR

Charleston County, SC · 115 mi S

2 special1 closed
🦌🕊️🐇🎣

27.1K huntable acres

Bears Bluff NFH

Charleston County, SC · 134 mi S

1 closed
No hunting listed

All refuges in South Carolina →

Data: USFWS National Hunt Units 2026–2027, Hunting & Fishing Opportunities, Realty Boundaries & Tracts. Page updated October 28, 2026.