Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting recommendations for SC early deer

looking for August velvet in SC. No connections so it will have to be a guide/outfitter. Any experience/recommendations?

Hey Buddy! Ok, I think some others will chime in, but from what I have heard, you may want to stay away from Bostick. I have never been there, but last year here, and at a now-defunct forum site for SC hunting, alot o'-guys decried that it was badly over-hunted. Again, I am only repeating what I have heard.

i di know that Roger Raglin recently did a special on Deerfield Plantation, and it looked pretty good - 3 days @ $1300 inclusive

That is in the lower part of the state. i have no connections there either - what part of the state were you going to be in?

If you want a velvet hunt you will need to go to the lower part of SC where the season opens Aug. 15, I can not recommend anyone, there are alot available, but I would not go to Bostick.
Having lived here all my life I have shot velvet deer, never understood the fascination, but each person has their desires and I understand that , I guess I am used to seeing them in velvet and shooting.

two others I found:

http://www.blackwaterhunting.com/south-carolina-hunting-rates.asp

http://www.buckrun.com/rates.html

Thanks!

Stay away from Bostick.
I recommend you go buy a rifle and spend hte rest of the money on practice while you look for a real place to hunt.

John

There is alot of public hunting areas if you can get there a couple of days early to hunt. Bring your bug gear, stash your fear of snakes, and plan on some brush clearing, but you should be able to find some decent hunting for minimal cost if you put in the leg work.

While I haven't hunted this place, I will say it's in a VERY good part of the state for SC size trophies.
http://www.paradisevalleyhuntingclu...amp;view=article&id=79&Itemid=91

I hunt my BIL's farm, which is just down the road from this place. We manage to kill our share of 120-130 class BC bucks every year. Anything over 120 is considered a real trophy in SC.

I used to chat with a gentleman that worked at Bangs PV on the SC DNR website. Never met him, but he SEEMED like a straight shooter. He posted several really nice bucks that were killed there.

Look up Lakeview Plantation and www.cedarknoll.com. Heyward Simmons is good people. I won a hunt there last year and while I did not shoot a deer (it poured rain for the 4 days I had to hunt)I had an excellent time. I am from droughtriden Texas and seeing that much rain may have been better than shooting a deer. As a matter of fact it's the last time I saw rain.

All kidding aside, I could have shot does or a couple of small bucks, but like you, I wanted a nice buck in velvet and it just didn't happen. I wasn't going to deal with hauling them back to Texas when I need to kill all the does I can off my own lease.

Not fancy but you will be treated right and if you are earlier (I was there September 26-30) I think you will have a great opportunity for what you seek as long as you understand that in that country, a 130 is a large buck.

A lot of guys from the gun club I belong to like this place:

http://www.cypresscreekhunting.com/welcome.html

Guys...some seasons you don't even SEE deer in NH....130 is good!

Fatjack, here's a couple of "teasers" for ya that we've killed on our farm....

Wife's first deer...


My brother in laws 225lb SC 8pt.

Killed on another lease.

Ok! Beautiful! And the deer are nice too!

+1

Just to let you know...
I remember being shown a VHS tape (thats how long its been) of the Sr. Mr. Harrell and fellows shooting at Eagles from a boat while on a bear hunt with a gent by the Name of Wagner. The tape happened to be in the possesion of USFG. Never heard what became of it.

I am from S.C. and can pass along some info. I used to hunt the property that Terry Hiers hunts at Black Water plantation. It is very good property with loads of deer. I also used to hunt hunt property just across the fence from Cedar Knoll and it is also loaded with deer. It shouldn't be too hard to see a few during he first week in August.

Here is a tip for you - the first week of the season in August can be awesome but the second week of of the season is usually not as good - seems the deer begin to realize they are being shot at again and don't move quite as much. Also, if you see a small buck, get ready because bucks during this time of year are often grouped up together and often you will see 3-6 together.