There is established the following point system for violations of certain provisions of law:

(1) Common violations:

Terms Used In South Carolina Code 50-9-1120

  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • Department: means the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources unless otherwise stated. See South Carolina Code 50-5-15
  • Fish: means finfish, shellfish including mollusks, crustaceans, horseshoe crabs, whelks (conchs), turtles, and terrapin or products thereof. See South Carolina Code 50-5-15
  • Fishing: means all activity and effort involved in taking or attempting to take fish. See South Carolina Code 50-5-15
  • Take: means to harass intentionally, hunt, capture, gather, harvest, remove, catch, wound, or kill or attempt to harass, hunt, capture, gather, harvest, remove, catch, wound, or kill. See South Carolina Code 50-5-15
  • Trap: is a n enclosed device used for taking fish, constructed to facilitate entry but prohibit or restrict exit of fish and is also called "pot". See South Carolina Code 50-5-15
  • Use: means operate, navigate, or employ. See South Carolina Code 50-21-10

(a) resisting arrest by the use of force, violence, or weapons against an employee of the department while engaged in his duties, a law enforcement officer aiding in the work of the department, or a federally commissioned employee engaged in like or similar employment: 18;

(b) attempting escape after lawful arrest: 14;

(c) hunting or fishing in a state sanctuary at any time: 14;

(d) hunting, fishing, or trapping out of season, except in a state sanctuary: 10;

(e) selling game or game fish: 14;

(f) taking game or fish in an illegal manner not mentioned specifically elsewhere in this section. However, no points may be assessed pursuant to this subitem for fish taken on the seaward side of the saltwater-freshwater dividing lines as provided in § 50-17-30: 8;

(g) using a borrowed or altered hunting or fishing license: 10;

(h) taking more than the legal limit of game or fish: 8;

(i) hunting or fishing without a license in possession: 6;

(j) trespassing to hunt, fish, or trap: 14;

(k) violating game management area regulations: 8;

(l) hunting, taking, possessing, or selling alligators in violation of law or department regulations: 14.

(2) Hunting violations:

(a) killing or attempting to kill or molest deer from a motorboat: 14;

(b) night hunting deer, bear, or turkey: 18;

(c) illegally transporting furs or hides and possessing untagged hides: 10;

(d) trapping quail or wild turkeys: 10;

(e) hunting over bait: 8;

(f) killing or possessing antlerless deer, except as expressly provided by law: 14;

(g) illegally night hunting other game, except deer, or hunting game in prohibited hours: 8;

(h) possessing buckshot illegally: 5;

(i) possessing unplugged gun while hunting, violation of § 50-11-10: 4;

1. killing or possessing a wild turkey during the closed season: 18;

2. killing or possessing a wild turkey hen during the spring gobbler season: 14;

(j) roost shooting wild turkeys between official sunset and official sunrise: 18;

(k) intentional trespassing to hunt, fish, or trap: 18;

(l) shooting wild turkeys over bait: 18;

(m) hunting wild turkeys over bait: 10;

(n) trespassing to hunt waterfowl: 18;

(o) hunting waterfowl over bait: 10;

(p) shooting waterfowl over bait: 10;

(q) hunting waterfowl out of posted season: 15;

(r) taking more than one waterfowl over the legal limit: 15;

(s) illegally possessing, taking, or attempting to take raccoons during the season for hunting without weapons: 14.

Text of (2)(t) effective until July 1, 2024.

(t) failing to report the harvest of wild turkey as required by § 50-11-546: 6.

Text of (2)(t) effective July 1, 2024.

(t) failing to report the harvest of big game species as required by § 50-11-546: 6.

(3) Fishing violations:

(a) trapping, netting, or seining game fish illegally: 10;

(b) taking or possessing more than the legal limit of striped bass: 14;

(c) taking or possessing an undersized striped bass: 14;

(d) taking or possessing more than the legal creel or size limit of blue catfish: 14.