Lowcountry outdoors: 2022 Coastal Exploration Series

Wednesday, March 2, 2022

2022 Coastal Exploration Series - Bear Island WMA

Jessica with SCDNR speaks to attendees

At the southern tip of Colleton County, Bear Island Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is located down Bennett's Point Road between the Ashepoo and Edisto Rivers. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) owns and manages this WMA, which is located in the ACE Basin. The SCDNR Coastal Exploration Series held a field trip at Bear Island on Feb. 28 with a focus on how the landscape has changed over time from Rice Culture to Waterfowl Management. About 20 attendees rode in an open-air wagon through the property, while a speaker from Charleston County Parks representing Gullah culture made remarks about how things might have been when slavery was present in plantation life during the period of rice production.

SCDNR explains how trunks manage water

Bear Island WMA is largely managed for waterfowl, wading birds and other avian life because it is mostly marsh and wetlands, all interconnected by canals, dikes and water control structures that can manipulate the water levels. The entire property is a feat of engineering, that still employs the same techniques that made rice production possible all those years ago. We spotted a range of avian life including notables like tundra swans, white pelicans, and roseate spoonbills. The timing of this trip was carefully planned as Bear Island WMA is closed about three months during duck hunting season, which ends in early February. Funds from the purchase of a hunting license, whether you hunt or not, goes towards managing WMA's. We saw evidence of a recent prescribed fire, which is another wildlife management tool in use here.

To view past blog entries from Bear Island WMA click on 2019 Duck Hunt - 2014 Duck Hunt - 2012 Youth Waterfowl Hunt - 2012 Droptine Buck - 2010 Birdwatching - 2009 Duck Hunt - 2009 Birdwatching