National Wildlife Refuge · South Carolina · FWS Region 4

Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge is located in Georgetown County, South Carolina, with about 19,319 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 9 mapped hunt units: 6 open with special regulations and 3 closed, covering about 33,580 huntable acres.

6 with special regs3 closedPermit requiredYouth hunts
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
9hunt units
33.6Khuntable acres
19.3KFWS-owned acres
6game categories

Waccamaw 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 Waccamaw NWR

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

Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge offers a variety of hunting opportunities for white-tailed deer, feral hog, turkey, squirrel, raccoon, opossum, snipe, woodcock and waterfowl in accordance with South Carolina state regulations and seasons.

Youth hunting

Youth hunts are held for turkey, deer, feral hog and upland game.

All refuges with youth hunts →
Big GameWhite-tailed and mule deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear and other large mammalsWaterfowlDucks, geese, brant, swans (where legal) and cootsWild TurkeySpring and fall wild turkeyMigratory 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 (9)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 33,580 (87%)Closed: 4,857 (13%)33.6Khuntable acres
  • Special regulations33,580 ac 87%
  • Closed4,857 ac 13%
Units by size (acres)
Waccamaw Unit 1
13,215 ac
Pee Dee Unit 1
6,758 ac
Sandy Island Uplands Unit 2
6,076 ac
Sandy Island Wetlands Unit 2
5,132 ac
Closed Area
3,799 ac
Normandy Tract
1,537 ac
Cox Ferry Lake Recreation Area
1,012 ac
Unit 3
862 ac
Hasty Point Tract
46 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Normandy Tract
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 1,537 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Signed brochure- manage state owned lands but do not require a WMA permit
🧒 Youth hunts are held for turkey, deer, feral hog and upland game.
Pee Dee Unit 1
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 6,758 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Signed brochure- manage state owned lands but do not require a WMA permit
🧒 Youth hunts are held for turkey, deer, feral hog and upland game.
Sandy Island Uplands Unit 2
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 6,076 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Signed brochure- manage state owned lands but do not require a WMA permit
🧒 Youth hunts are held for turkey, deer, feral hog and upland game.
Sandy Island Wetlands Unit 2
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 5,132 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Signed brochure- manage state owned lands but do not require a WMA permit
🧒 Youth hunts are held for turkey, deer, feral hog and upland game.
Unit 3
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 862 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Signed brochure- manage state owned lands but do not require a WMA permit
🧒 Youth hunts are held for turkey, deer, feral hog and upland game.
Waccamaw Unit 1
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 13,215 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Signed brochure- manage state owned lands but do not require a WMA permit
🧒 Youth hunts are held for turkey, deer, feral hog and upland game.
Closed Area
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 3,799 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Signed brochure- manage state owned lands but do not require a WMA permit
🧒 Youth hunts are held for turkey, deer, feral hog and upland game.
Cox Ferry Lake Recreation Area
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 1,012 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Signed brochure- manage state owned lands but do not require a WMA permit
🧒 Youth hunts are held for turkey, deer, feral hog and upland game.
Hasty Point Tract
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 46 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Signed brochure- manage state owned lands but do not require a WMA permit
🧒 Youth hunts are held for turkey, deer, feral hog and upland game.

Waccamaw NWR by the numbers

With about 33,580 huntable acres, Waccamaw NWR ranks #2 of 7 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in South Carolina and #80 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 87% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Waccamaw Unit 1 (13,215 acres, special regulations), while the smallest, Unit 3, covers 862 acres. Every huntable unit requires a refuge permit.

3 units totaling 4,857 acres are closed to hunting (Closed Area, Cox Ferry Lake Recreation Area, and Hasty Point Tract). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 19,319 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 1.1 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.

When to hunt Waccamaw 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, Waterfowl, Wild Turkey, Migratory Birds, Small Game, Feral & Exotic
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
Archery deerFirearm deer
🦆 Waterfowl
Early teal & gooseRegular duck & goose
🦃 Wild Turkey
Spring gobblerFall (some states)
🕊️ 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

Signed brochure- manage state owned lands but do not require a WMA permit

Type: Signed Brochure or Similar

How to get it:

  • 🪧 Kiosk at the refuge
  • ✉️ By mail
  • 💻 Online (FWS)
  • 📋 Other (see refuge)
  • 🏛️ 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 Waccamaw NWR

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing
  • 🌊 Tidal / saltwater fishing

The rivers surrounding the refuge provide excellent year-round opportunities for recreational fishing.

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

How to get to Waccamaw NWR

Navigate

Destination: Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
33.58187, -79.13265
DMS
33°34′54.7″N 79°07′57.5″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Myrtle Beach, SC16 mi SW of town
  • Georgetown, SC17 mi NE of town
  • Florence, SC56 mi SE of town
  • Charleston, SC72 mi NE of town

Closest airports

  • MYR Myrtle Beach Intl13 mi
  • CHS Charleston Intl70 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 Waccamaw 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, 20266:19 AM6:49 AM7:43 PM12h 54m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:28 AM6:58 AM7:24 PM12h 26m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:39 AM7:09 AM7:02 PM11h 53m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:50 AM7:20 AM6:44 PM11h 24m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:04 AM6:34 AM5:25 PM10h 51m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:17 AM6:47 AM5:14 PM10h 27m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:32 AM7:02 AM5:09 PM10h 06m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:43 AM7:13 AM5:09 PM9h 57m
Fri, Jan 1, 20276:50 AM7:20 AM5:18 PM9h 58m
Fri, Jan 15, 20276:50 AM7:20 AM5:29 PM10h 09m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:43 AM7:13 AM5:46 PM10h 33m

Computed for 33.582, -79.133 (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 Waccamaw 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…

Public-Land Duck Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges: Tactics That Work

How to find ducks, beat the crowds and set up on refuge marshes and WPAs — scouting, timing, small decoy spreads for…

Federal Duck Stamp Explained: Who Needs One, Where to Buy It and Where the Money Goes

Everything waterfowl hunters need to know about the Federal Duck Stamp — who must carry it, signing rules, the…

Nontoxic Shot Guide for Refuge and WPA Hunters

Why lead shot is banned for waterfowl, which nontoxic loads are approved, how steel, bismuth and tungsten compare, and…

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…

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…

Waccamaw NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Waccamaw NWR?

Yes. Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 6 units (33,580 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, waterfowl, wild turkey, 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 Waccamaw NWR?

Yes — Waccamaw 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, other, or visitor center. You also need the appropriate state hunting license and, for waterfowl, a Federal Duck Stamp.

Can you fish at Waccamaw NWR?

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

Where is Waccamaw NWR located?

Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge is in Georgetown County, South Carolina, about 16 miles SW of Myrtle Beach, SC (straight-line). GPS: 33.58187, -79.13265.

What are legal shooting hours at Waccamaw 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

Cape Romain NWR

Charleston County, SC · 44 mi SW

2 special1 closed
🦌🕊️🐇🎣

27.1K huntable acres

Santee NWR

Clarendon County, SC · 64 mi W

4 special2 closed
🦌🐇🐗🎣

12K huntable acres

Bears Bluff NFH

Charleston County, SC · 92 mi SW

1 closed
No hunting listed

Carolina Sandhills NWR

Chesterfield County, SC · 93 mi NW

5 special3 closed
🦌🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

45.1K huntable acres

Ernest F. Hollings ACE Basin NWR

Charleston County, SC · 97 mi SW

7 special4 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐗🎣

7.9K huntable acres

Orangeburg NFH

Orangeburg County, SC · 102 mi W

1 closed
🎣

All refuges in South Carolina →

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