South Carolina S 345: Baiting Wild Turkeys

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 345 Text of Previous Version (Apr. 29, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 345

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

Indicates 
Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter

Committee Report

April 29, 2025

S. 345

Introduced 
by Senators Campsen and Goldfinch 

S. Printed 4/29/25--H.

Read the first time March 20, 2025

________

The committee on House 
Agriculture, Natural Res. and Environmental Affairs

To whom was referred a Bill (S. 345) to 
amend the South Carolina Code of Laws by amending Section 50-11-510, relating 
to the prohibition against baiting wild turkeys, so as to exempt certain 
persons, etc., respectfully

Report:

That they have duly and carefully 
considered the same, and recommend that the same do pass:

WILLIAM HIXON for 
Committee.

_______

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY 
AMENDING SECTION 50-11-510, RELATING TO THE PROHIBITION AGAINST BAITING WILD 
TURKEYS, SO AS TO EXEMPT CERTAIN PERSONS WHO ARE TWO HUNDRED YARDS OR MORE FROM 
A BAITED AREA MANAGED FOR THE RESTORATION AND SUSTAINABILITY OF WILD BOBWHITE 
QUAIL.

Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 
1. Section 50-11-510 of the S.C. Code is amended to 
read:

 Section 
50-11-510. (A) It is unlawful for a person to:

 (1) hunt or take or attempt to 
hunt or take a wild turkey by means of, or aid or use of, bait or baiting; or

 (2) hunt 
or take or attempt to hunt or take a wild turkey on or over any baited 
area.

 (B) As used in this 
section,:

 (1) "bait" or "baiting'" means the placing, "depositing, exposing, 
distributing, or scattering of salt, shelled, shucked, or unshucked corn, wheat, or other grain, or other foodstuffs to that constitute a lure, attraction, or enticement for wild turkeys a lure, attraction, or enticement to, 
on, or over any areasan 
area where hunters are attempting to take them,; and

 (2) "baited area" means an area 
where salt, shelled, shucked, or unshucked corn, wheat, or other grain, or other foodstuffs capable of 
luring, attracting, or enticing wild turkeys is directly 
or indirectly placed, exposed, deposited, 
distributed, or scattered, and. the The area remains a baited 
area for ten days following complete consumption or 
removal of all bait.

 (C) It is not a violation of this 
section if a person hunts or takes or attempts to hunt or take a wild turkey 
over a baited area for wild bobwhite quail, and is located on a property that 
is permitted by the department for the restoration and sustainability of wild 
bobwhite quail. The property must not be leased for turkey hunting, and there 
must be no commercial hunts for wild turkey on the property. A permit issued by 
the department for the restoration and sustainability of wild bobwhite quail:

 (1) must contain conditions in 
conformance with best practices for managing wild bobwhite quail habitat; and

 (2) is contingent on the receipt and 
approval of a wild bobwhite quail management plan that must be updated no less 
than every five years.

 (D) The department may revoke a permit 
issued under subsection (C) if a permit condition is violated.

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval 
by the Governor.

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This web page was last updated on April 29, 2025 at 06:12 PM