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H 3872

Hunting Heritage Protect Act

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Heather Bauer and 2 co-sponsors

Requires SC DNR to prevent net loss of hunting acreage on department lands, replace closed hunting areas with new acreage, and annually report to committees.

Signed By Governor
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Bill Summary · H 3872

Summary — H 3872: "Hunting Heritage Protection Act" (added as S.C. Code § 50-1-320)

Status: Introduced 01/30/2025; multiple filings/amendments (Jan–Mar 2025); scrivener’s error corrected 03/05/2025. Referred to committees, amended, and scheduled for hearings (hearing noted 07/22/2025). Would take effect upon gubernatorial approval.

Purpose

Establish a statutory requirement that the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (DNR) adopt policies and procedures to prevent any net loss of acreage available for hunting on lands managed by the department, and to promote and preserve hunting opportunities to the extent allowed by law.

Key provisions

  • Adds Section 50-1-320 to Chapter 1, Title 50 of the South Carolina Code.
  • Definitions:
    • “Department” = Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
    • “Department‑managed lands” = state‑owned lands managed by DNR (versions also reference leased private lands and lands managed by the State Forestry Commission and enrolled in DNR’s Wildlife Management Area program; language varies across filings).
    • “Hunting” = the lawful taking of game under Title 50.
  • Access and use:
    • Department‑managed lands must be open for hunting, except where closure is justified for fish/wildlife management or otherwise limited by statute.
    • DNR must exercise its authority in a way that “supports, promotes, and enhances” hunting opportunities consistent with law.
  • No net loss requirement:
    • Land management decisions (including closures by private owners of land managed by DNR) must not result in any net loss of habitat acreage available for hunting measured against the baseline of acreage existing on January 1, 2026.
    • If hunting acreage is closed, DNR must “expeditiously find replacement acreage” to compensate.
  • Annual reporting:
    • By July 1 each year DNR’s director must report to the Senate Fish, Game and Forestry Committee and the House Agricultural, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee:
    • Acreage closed to hunting during the previous fiscal year and reasons for closures.
    • Acreage opened to hunting to compensate for closures.
    • First report due no later than July 1, 2026.
  • Effective date: Upon approval by the Governor.

Who would be affected

  • Department of Natural Resources (primary implementer; operational and planning responsibilities).
  • State Forestry Commission and landowners whose lands are managed or enrolled in DNR programs (potential operational/contractual impacts).
  • Hunters and sporting communities (seeks to preserve hunting access and opportunities).
  • Conservation, wildlife management, and land‑use planning stakeholders (could affect habitat management, public access policies, and conservation priorities).
  • Legislative oversight committees receiving annual reports.

Procedural / timeline notes

  • Baseline date for “no net loss” calculations: January 1, 2026.
  • First required DNR report: July 1, 2026.
  • The bill places an ongoing annual reporting obligation on DNR.
  • Multiple versions filed (Jan–Mar 2025) include minor differences in the “department‑managed lands” definition and were amended in committee. Scrivener’s error corrected March 5, 2025.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Preservation of hunting acreage could limit DNR’s ability to close lands for non‑hunting reasons unless replacement acreage is found.
  • The statutory “no net loss” requirement may create a need for DNR to identify, acquire, or open alternative lands — possible fiscal and logistical implications (the bill does not appropriate funds).
  • Could generate tradeoffs between hunting access and other resource management, conservation, or public‑use objectives; interpretation and implementation details (e.g., what counts as equivalent replacement acreage) would be important.
  • Annual reporting increases legislative oversight and transparency of DNR land‑management decisions affecting hunting.

If you want, I can draft a one‑page briefing for DNR staff outlining implementation steps, likely data requirements to track acreage, and options for meeting the “replacement acreage” obligation.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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