This
page shows the portions of Article 10, Wildlife management Area's Regulations,
The Department of Natural Resources, Chapter 123 and the
Regulations for
the Jim Timmerman Natural Resources Area at Jocassee Gorges that pertain
to Motorized vehicles .
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Regulations for Jim
Timmerman Natural Resources Area at Jocassee Gorges
Motorized
and non-motorized vehicle access to the Jocassee Gorges is limited. US Highway
178 and Cleo Chapman Road (county road 143) are
the only paved roads that
access the property. Access
by the general public to the Jocassee Gorges by motorized vehicles will
follow a seasonal
schedule. Road
opening and closing schedules written below are given as general information.
The DNR may open and close any roads at any time
and for such duration as
deemed necessary by the DNR to manage the property.
Dates
for Seasonally Open Roads
Green
gates are open:
Sept.
15 through Jan. 1 and March 20 through May 10
Green
gates are closed:
Jan.
2 through March 19 and May 11 through Sept. 14
(A)
The operation of a motorized
vehicle behind any closed gate is prohibited.
(B) Roads open to year-round
public access include a section of Horsepasture Road to Laurel Fork Gap
(from US Highway 178 only).
(C) All roads with Green
gates are seasonally open. All roads with red gates are closed to vehicular
traffic. Gate color may be
changed at discretion
of DNR.
(D) Motorized vehicles,
all terrain vehicles, and off road vehicles may be operated only on open
maintained roads and parking areas except as
otherwise established by posted notice or as approved by the DNR.
(E) Motorized vehicles,
all terrain vehicles, and off road vehicles shall not exceed speed limits
posted on DNR signs. On any land where no speed limit
signs are posted the speed limit shall be 15
miles per hour.
(F) Subject to the authority
in subsection (d) above, the operation of all terrain vehicles is restricted
as follows: Operation of
all-terrain vehicles is
restricted to one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset each day beginning on
Monday and continuing through the following Friday.
A person may use an all-terrain vehicle while actually engaged in hunting
at any time hunting is allowed; provided, however, the operation of
an all terrain vehicle is restricted to one hour before sunrise to one hour
after sunset with the exception of game retrieval, and an all-terrain vehicle
may be
used only on open roads.
(G) All-terrain vehicles
having three (3) wheels and motorcycles constructed or intended primarily
for off road use, such as dirt bikes and
motocross bikes, are prohibited within the Jim Timmerman Natural Resources
Area at all times.
(H) Bicycles may be ridden
on any road or area that is not posted as closed to bicycles.
The
regulations above refer specifically to the approximate 32,000-acre Jim
Timmerman Natural Resources Area at Jocassee Gorges. Users are
advised to review the complete DNR Rules and Regulations brochure for general
regulations related to DNR-administered lands. Brochures are
available at nearby stores and big game check stations.
Check
special regulations related to the Eastatoee Creek and Laurel Fork Heritage
Preserves.
**Access
through the Musterground WMA is administered by Duke Energy. Road opening
dates for the Musterground area are:
Green
gates are open:
Sept.
15 through Jan. 1 and March 31 through May 1
Green
gates are closed:
Jan.
2 through March 30 and May 2 through Sept. 14
123-205. Regulations Applicable to Specific
Properties.
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ARTICLE 10.
WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS
SECTION 50-11-2200. Establishment of wildlife management areas;
regulations; prohibited conduct; penalties.
promulgate
regulations allowing any of the acts or conduct by prescribing acceptable
times, locations, means, and other appropriate restrictions not
inconsistent
with the protection, preservation, operation, maintenance, and use of such
lands:
(1) hunting or taking wildlife
or fish during closed season;
(2) exceeding bag or creel limits;
(3) hunting or taking wildlife;
(4) hiking;
(5) rock climbing;
(6) operation of motorized and
nonmotorized vehicles;
(7) swimming;
(8) camping;
(9) horse riding;
(10) operation of boats;
(11) possession of pets;
(12) gathering plants;
(13) use of fire, except by the
department for management purposes;
(14) polluting or contaminating
any water;
(15) acting in a disorderly manner
or creating any noise which would result in annoyance to others;
(16) operating or using audio
device, including radio, television, musical instruments, or any other noise
producing devices, such as electrical
generators, and equipment driven by
motor engines, in such a manner and at such times as to disturb other persons
and no person shall operate
or use any public address system.
(D) A
person violating this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction,
must be fined not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than
two hundred
dollars or be imprisoned for not more than thirty days, or both.
Section 50-11-2210.
The abuse, misuse, damage, or destruction of wildlife management area land
or improvements on wildlife management area
land is unlawful. A
person who abuses, misuses, damages, or destroys wildlife management area
land or improvements on them including, but not
limited to, roads, vegetation,
buildings, structures, or fences or leaves refuse, trash, or other debris
on the property or sets, makes, or builds a fire
except in an area specially
designated by the landowner, operates a motor conveyance in an area or on
a road closed to operation, conducts target
practice except in a designated
target practice area, camps in an area not designated as a campsite, disregards
a safety or restrictive posting by the
landowner, or who otherwise abuses,
damages, destroys, or misuses a wildlife management area is guilty of a misdemeanor
and, upon conviction,
must be fined two hundred dollars and be required to
make restitution to the landowner in an amount determined by the court to
be necessary to
repair, rebuild, clean up, or restore the property to its
condition before the abuse occurred. A person failing to make restitution
within the time limit
set by the court must serve a mandatory ten-day sentence
in the county jail which may not be suspended in whole or in part. The provisions
of this
section are in addition to other criminal penalties.
Section 50-11-2220.
A person convicted of violating Section 50-11-2210
twice within a three-year period, in addition to the penalties incurred for
violating Section 50-11-2210,
must lose the privilege of entering onto wildlife management area land for
one year. A person who enters a wildlife
management area after losing the privilege to enter wildlife management areas
is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not less
than two hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned
for not more than thirty days and must have the privilege to hunt or fish
suspended for one year. The provisions of this section are in addition to
other criminal penalties.
Document No. 2685
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
CHAPTER 123
Statutory Authority: S.C. Code Sections 50-11-2200
and 50-11-2210
Synopsis:
These regulations govern the conduct and activities
of visitors to all lands owned by the Department of Natural resources in order
to protect and
preserve natural resources while providing maximum public benefit
through regulated outdoor recreation opportunities. The repeal of current
regulations which apply
to specific properties will consolidate and simplify regulations for Department-owned
properties.123-70.
123-200. Regulations
Applicable to Real Property Owned by the Department of Natural Resources.
Applicability and
Scope.
A. The purpose of this regulation is to govern the conduct and activities
of visitors to all lands owned by the Department of Natural Resources.
This regulation applies to all lands, structures, and property owned
by the Department of Natural Resources, including but not limited to wildlife
management areas, heritage preserves, boat landings, and game preserves or
reserves.
B. Regulations for the establishment of open and closed seasons, bag
limits, and methods for hunting and taking wildlife on all Department
owned
wildlife management area lands, and for the protection, preservation, operation,
maintenance, and use of wildlife management area lands
not owned by the Department
are stated in R.123-40. The regulations
below will apply to Department owned wildlife management area lands in
addition
to R.123-40. In case of any conflict
with R.123-40, this regulation will prevail.
C. Wildlife management area lands not owned by the Department are regulated
generally under R.123-40 and specific regulations for individuals
species.
123-201. Definitions.
For purposes of this regulation:
All terrain vehicle@
means a motorized vehicle, regardless of the number of wheels, designed or
constructed primarily for use off of paved or
improved roads.
Department@ means the South Carolina
Department of Natural Resources.
Motorized vehicle@
means a device incorporating a motor or an engine of any type for propulsion,
and with wheels, tracks, skids, skis, air
cushion or other contrivance for traveling on or adjacent to land. It shall
include such vehicles as automobiles, trucks, jeeps, vans, busses,
motorcycles, bulldozers, timber harvesters, and other earth‑moving equipment.
Nonmotorized vehicle@ means a
device not incorporating a motor or an engine of any type for propulsion,
and with wheels, tracks, skids,
skis, air cushion, or other contrivance for
traveling on or adjacent to land. It
shall include such vehicles as bicycles, skates, and in-line skates.
Off road vehicle@ means
a motorized vehicle that has been modified from its stock condition to enhance
its ability for use off of paved or improved
roads.
Wildlife management area land@
means those lands leased or otherwise established by the Department for the
protection, propagation, and
promotion of fish and wildlife and for public
hunting and fishing.
123-202. Hazard of outdoor activities
and liability.
Department
land is made available to the general public for reasonable uses not prohibited
by statute or regulation. These lands
are held and
maintained in a natural condition, except for uses requiring modification.
Outdoor activities are not risk free.
All members of the public using
Department land and wildlife management area land must exercise due care in
planning and carrying out any activities. Any person making use
of Department land and wildlife management area land for any purpose does
so at his own risk, and the Department shall not be liable in any
respect for any loss, damage, or injury to person or property caused or occasioned
thereby.
123-203. General Regulation.
This
section shall apply to all Department land, except as provided in any regulation
for Heritage Preserves in 123.204 or specific Department
land designated in
123.205.
B.
Possession of any firearm or weapon on Department land must comply
with applicable state and federal statutes.
All firearms must be
unloaded and secured in a weapons case except
while legally hunting, unless otherwise legally permitted. Target, skeet,
trap, plinking, paint ball,
or any other type of shooting with any firearm
or weapon is not be allowed on Department land, except in any area specifically
designated
and operated by the Department as a shooting range.
E.
Operation of motorized, nonmotorized vehicles, all terrain vehicles,
and off road vehicles.
The operation of motorized vehicles is allowed
subject to the following restrictions or conditions:
(1) Motorized
vehicles, all terrain vehicles, and off road vehicles may be operated only
on open maintained roads and parking areas except as
otherwise established
by posted notice or as approved by the Department.
(2) Motorized
vehicles, all terrain vehicles, and off road vehicles shall not exceed speed
limits posted on Department signs. On any land where
no speed limit signs are posted, the speed limit
shall be 25 miles per hour.
(3) No
person may operate any motorized , all terrain vehicle, off road vehicle or
non-motorized vehicle in a reckless or negligent manner.
The operation of any vehicle in such a manner
as to indicate either a willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons
or property shall be deemed
to be operating in a reckless manner.
(4) Motorized
vehicles, all terrain vehicles, and off road vehicles must be operated in
accordance with load limits as established by posted
notice for roads or bridges.
(5) No
person shall cause or permit any motorized , all terrain vehicle, and off
road vehicle to obstruct traffic by unnecessary stopping. In the
event of mechanical difficulties, the
driver must make arrangements for the expeditious removal of the vehicle. No motorized vehicle , all terrain
vehicle, and off road vehicle shall be left
parked on any road at night without lights or reflectors visible from both
front and rear of the vehicle.
(6) Parking
of motorized vehicles, all terrain vehicles, and off road vehicles must comply
with any posting or signs and any instructions given by
Department or law
enforcement personnel. Obstructing vehicular travel is prohibited.
(7) All
motorized vehicles, all terrain vehicles, and off road vehicles must be equipped
with properly working mufflers, brakes, spark
arresters (if the vehicle was
originally factory equipped with spark arresters and/or mirrors).
K.
Consumption of alcohol.
Public
drunkenness is not allowed on Department land. The consumption or display of any beverage
containing alcohol while operating or riding
as a passenger in any motorized
or non-motorized vehicle is not allowed. Alcoholic beverages may be consumed by a person of lawful age
only while actually camping at a designated campsite.
L.
Gathering, damaging, or destroying plants, animals, fungi, rocks, minerals,
fossils, artifacts, or ecofacts.
(1) No
person may gather, collect, deface, remove, damage, disturb, destroy, or otherwise
injure in any manner whatsoever the plants, animals
(except lawful hunting),
fungi, rocks, minerals, fossils, artifacts,
or ecofacts on any Department land, including but not limited to any tree,
flower,
shrub, fern, moss, charcoal, plant remains, or animal remains on any
Department land and wildlife management areas. The Department may
authorize the collection
of certain material upon issuance of a permit as provided in 123-207.
N.
Pollution or contamination of any land or water.
The
polluting of land and water is not allowed on Department land. The depositing of waste, refuse, or any material
that pollutes or contaminates
land or water is not allowed.
O.
Acting in a disorderly manner is not allowed on Department land.
P.
Operation of audio devices, musical instruments, or other noise making
instruments.
The operation or use of any audio device, including radio, television,
musical instruments, or any other noise producing devices, such as electrical
generators, and equipment driven by motor engines, in such a manner and at
such times as to disturb other persons is prohibited on all Department
land.
No person may operate or use any public address system.
The use of legal weapons during an open hunting season will be allowed
while hunting on Department land designated as a wildlife management area.
Q.
Abuse of Department land.
Abusing,
damaging, defacing, or destroying land or any improvements on Department is
unlawful. Abuse of lands and improvements
includes,
but is not be limited to:
(1) Defacing,
altering, destroying, or removing any sign, marker, guidepost, fence, gate,
lock, barrier, improvement, building, bridge, culvert,
structure, natural
landmark or feature;
(4) Making
or cutting new trails;
R.
Restricted areas.
The Department may restrict access to designated areas on any Department
land. Access to any area may be
restricted when the Department determines that the best interest of the property will be served.
Generally, all Department lands are open for uses allowed by this
regulation twenty-four hours a day. The
Department may restrict the hours of
operation on any Department land by publication
in Department brochures and pamphlets or by posting on site specific hours
of operation.