Greenville
Hunting
Report

Jocassee Gorges is the crown jewel of South Carolina mountain hunting — a 33,000-acre tract of the Blue Ridge Escarpment managed by SCDNR within the Jim Timmerman Natural Resources Area. Steep gorges, mature hardwoods, and rhododendron-choked creek drainages give Upstate hunters bear, deer, and turkey on rugged terrain unlike anywhere else in the state. Sister to Sumter National Forest's Andrew Pickens RD just to the west.

WMA permit and SC hunting license required. Big-game hunts on scheduled dates only (deer Aug–Jan, turkey Apr 1 forward, bear during open season). The property is closed to all public access from Nov. 1 through Feb. 8 except for scheduled hunts. Backcountry camping by permit only on dates when main hunt roads are not open. All-terrain vehicles prohibited.

The Andrew Pickens Ranger District covers roughly 84,000 acres of Sumter National Forest in the SC mountains — the largest contiguous public-land hunt opportunity in the Upstate. Managed by the USFS with hunting regulated by SCDNR under WMA rules. Hardwood ridges, white pine, and the Chattooga River corridor make this the destination for grouse, bear, and big-woods deer hunters out of Greenville.

WMA permit and SC hunting license required for hunting. Cedar Creek Rifle Range (Whetstone Rd, off Cassidy Bridge Rd, Westminster) is open Thursday–Sunday during daylight hours for sight-in. Camping at designated USFS sites or backcountry; check district office (864-638-9568) for current closures.

Tall Pines WMA was acquired by SCDNR in partnership with The Conservation Fund in 2019 — 1,757 acres in northern Greenville County with about a mile of South Saluda River frontage, two lakes, and significant wetland habitat. Provides hunting, fishing, and hiking on land that was nearly developed before the conservation deal closed.

WMA permit and SC hunting license required. SCDNR posts annual hunt dates. Two interior lakes hold bass and bream and are open for public fishing under standard SC freshwater regulations. Quiet still-hunt rules in effect; check posted maps at the trailhead.

Eastatoe Creek Heritage Preserve is a high-elevation tract just past the Rocky Bottom community on US-178, protecting a narrow river gorge designated by National Geographic for its biodiversity. Part of the Jim Timmerman Natural Resources Area family of properties. Hunting is permitted under WMA regulations; fishing in Eastatoe Creek is artificial-lure only and requires a SC fishing license.

Trailhead approximately 1 mile hike from the Foothills Trail parking area on US-178. WMA permit and SC hunting license required for hunting. Note: as of late 2024, sections of the access road and the main trail remain closed due to Hurricane Helene damage; hunting season remains open and hikers may travel off-trail. Check SCDNR for current status before driving up.

Chandler Heritage Preserve sits in western Greenville County above Marietta and is one of the more accessible upcountry WMA tracts inside an hour of downtown Greenville. Mature hardwoods, hillside seeps, and dry pine-oak ridges hold turkeys and small game; deer hunting is by lottery and quota during scheduled hunts.

WMA permit and SC hunting license required. Quota hunts for deer; check SCDNR draw schedule. General WMA seasons for turkey, squirrel, and small game. No camping. Day-use access for hikers and birders outside hunt dates.

Watson-Cooper Heritage Preserve protects an unusual cluster of rare plant species (including the southernmost natural occurrence of a key plant in North America) on a high northern Greenville County ridge. The tract is small but provides quiet turkey and small-game hunting under WMA regulations adjacent to the Mountain Bridge Wilderness boundary.

WMA permit and SC hunting license required. Small-tract rules: no camping, no off-trail vehicle access. Plant collection is strictly prohibited — this is a Heritage Trust property with state-endangered species on it.