Wildlife - Waterfowl Hunting and Baiting
Hunting over Natural Vegetation
Natural vegetation is any non-agricultural, native, or naturalized plant species that grows at a site in response to planting or from existing seeds or other propagules.
Natural vegetation does not include planted millet (like browntop and Japanese millet) because of its use as both an agricultural crop and a species of natural vegetation for moist soil management. However, planted millet that grows on its own in subsequent years is considered natural vegetation.
If you restore and manage wetlands as habitat for waterfowl and other migratory birds, you can manipulate the natural vegetation in these areas and make them available for hunting. Mowing and burning of natural vegetation are common habitat management practices in South Carolina.
Natural vegetation does not include plants grown as agricultural crops. Under no circumstances can you hunt waterfowl over crops manipulated prior to a normal harvest. Nor can you hunt waterfowl over manipulated wildlife food plots or manipulated plantings for soil stabilization.