National Wildlife Refuge · South Carolina · FWS Region 4

Santee National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Santee National Wildlife Refuge is located in Clarendon County, South Carolina, with about 4,528 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 6 mapped hunt units: 4 open with special regulations and 2 closed, covering about 12,005 huntable acres.

4 with special regs2 closedPermit requiredYouth hunts
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
6hunt units
12Khuntable acres
4.5KFWS-owned acres
3game categories

Santee 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 Santee NWR

Hunters can pursue big game, small game, and feral & exotic here, 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.

Santee National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1941 to alleviate the loss of natural waterfowl and wildlife habitat caused by the construction of hydroelectric projects on the Santee and Cooper rivers.

Youth hunting

A hunt for youths ages 10 to 17 is held on the Bluffs Unit. Youth hunters may use shotguns only, and must be accompanied by a nonhunting adult.

All refuges with youth hunts →
Big GameWhite-tailed and mule deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear and other large mammalsSmall 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 (6)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 12,005 (96%)Closed: 510 (4%)12Khuntable acres
  • Special regulations12,005 ac 96%
  • Closed510 ac 4%
Units by size (acres)
Cuddo Unit
5,308 ac
Pine Island Unit
3,286 ac
Bluff Unit
2,164 ac
Plantation Islands
1,248 ac
Dingle Pond Unit
490 ac
Closed Area
21 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Bluff Unit
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 2,164 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunters and anglers are required to have signed brochure.
🧒 A hunt for youths ages 10 to 17 is held on the Bluffs Unit. Youth hunters may use shotguns only…
Cuddo Unit
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 5,308 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunters and anglers are required to have signed brochure.
🧒 A hunt for youths ages 10 to 17 is held on the Bluffs Unit. Youth hunters may use shotguns only…
Pine Island Unit
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 3,286 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunters and anglers are required to have signed brochure.
🧒 A hunt for youths ages 10 to 17 is held on the Bluffs Unit. Youth hunters may use shotguns only…
Plantation Islands
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 1,248 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunters and anglers are required to have signed brochure.
🧒 A hunt for youths ages 10 to 17 is held on the Bluffs Unit. Youth hunters may use shotguns only…
Closed Area
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 21 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunters and anglers are required to have signed brochure.
🧒 A hunt for youths ages 10 to 17 is held on the Bluffs Unit. Youth hunters may use shotguns only…
Dingle Pond Unit
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 490 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunters and anglers are required to have signed brochure.
🧒 A hunt for youths ages 10 to 17 is held on the Bluffs Unit. Youth hunters may use shotguns only…

Santee NWR by the numbers

With about 12,005 huntable acres, Santee NWR ranks #5 of 7 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in South Carolina and #166 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 96% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Cuddo Unit (5,308 acres, special regulations), while the smallest, Plantation Islands, covers 1,248 acres. Every huntable unit requires a refuge permit.

2 units totaling 510 acres are closed to hunting (Closed Area and Dingle Pond Unit). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 4,528 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 507 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.

When to hunt Santee 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, Small Game, Feral & Exotic
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
Archery deerFirearm deer
🐇 Small Game
Squirrel & rabbit
🐗 Feral & Exotic
Feral hog (often year-round)

Permits & licenses

Refuge permit

Required

All hunters and anglers are required to have signed brochure.

Type: 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
  • Hunter education certification where your state requires it
  • The current refuge hunt brochure / regulations (often must be signed and carried)

Fishing at Santee NWR

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing

Available species include largemouth bass, striped bass, white bass, crappie, sunfish and catfish. There are 9,000 acres of open water area within the refuge, which are superimposed on the 110,000-acre Lake Marion.

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

How to get to Santee NWR

Navigate

Destination: Santee National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
33.50593, -80.23467
DMS
33°30′21.3″N 80°14′04.8″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Charleston, SC53 mi N of town
  • Florence, SC55 mi SW of town
  • Georgetown, SC55 mi W of town
  • Columbia, SC57 mi SE of town

Closest airports

  • CHS Charleston Intl43 mi
  • MYR Myrtle Beach Intl76 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 Santee 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, 20266:24 AM6:54 AM7:48 PM12h 54m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:33 AM7:03 AM7:29 PM12h 26m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:44 AM7:14 AM7:06 PM11h 53m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:54 AM7:24 AM6:48 PM11h 24m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:08 AM6:38 AM5:30 PM10h 51m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:22 AM6:52 AM5:19 PM10h 27m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:36 AM7:06 AM5:13 PM10h 07m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:47 AM7:17 AM5:14 PM9h 57m
Fri, Jan 1, 20276:54 AM7:24 AM5:22 PM9h 58m
Fri, Jan 15, 20276:54 AM7:24 AM5:34 PM10h 09m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:47 AM7:17 AM5:50 PM10h 33m

Computed for 33.506, -80.235 (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 Santee 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…

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…

Feral Hog Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges

Why many refuges allow — and encourage — feral hog hunting, how refuge rules handle hogs, safe shot placement, disease…

Fishing National Wildlife Refuges: Licenses, Seasons, Boats and Where to Go

What to know before fishing a National Wildlife Refuge or fish hatchery — state licenses, seasonal closures that…

Refuge Hunting Permits: Types, Lotteries & How to Apply

Signed brochures, quota permits, special use permits and where to get them — online, kiosk, mail or visitor center.

How to Read a Refuge Hunt Brochure (and Not Miss the Rule That Matters)

What's inside a National Wildlife Refuge hunt brochure, where to find it, how it relates to 50 CFR Part 32 and state…

Santee NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Santee NWR?

Yes. Santee National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 4 units (12,005 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, 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 Santee NWR?

Yes — Santee National Wildlife Refuge requires a refuge permit for some or all hunting. Permit type: 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 Santee NWR?

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

Where is Santee NWR located?

Santee National Wildlife Refuge is in Clarendon County, South Carolina, about 53 miles N of Charleston, SC (straight-line). GPS: 33.50593, -80.23467.

What are legal shooting hours at Santee 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

Orangeburg NFH

Orangeburg County, SC · 38 mi W

1 closed
🎣

Cape Romain NWR

Charleston County, SC · 54 mi SE

2 special1 closed
🦌🕊️🐇🎣

27.1K huntable acres

Bears Bluff NFH

Charleston County, SC · 59 mi S

1 closed
No hunting listed

Ernest F. Hollings ACE Basin NWR

Charleston County, SC · 61 mi S

7 special4 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐗🎣

7.9K huntable acres

Waccamaw NWR

Georgetown County, SC · 64 mi E

6 special3 closed
🦌🦆🦃🕊️🐇🐗🎣

33.6K huntable acres

Carolina Sandhills NWR

Chesterfield County, SC · 74 mi N

5 special3 closed
🦌🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

45.1K huntable acres

All refuges in South Carolina →

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