COLUMBIA — Jack Ragley has always been interested in birds. The 9-year-old’s favorite is the blue jay.
But on Feb. 10, Jack stood inside the S.C. Statehouse to talk about another bird he cares deeply about and argue that lawmakers should officially recognize it as South Carolina’s migratory bird.
After all, the beautiful, bright yellow prothonotary warbler that lives in swamps and wetlands travels “really far” during its annual migration, he said.
Also, South Carolina is “one of the places it needs the most” to live and thrive, he told the lawmakers.
“This bird chooses South Carolina every year, and I think South Carolina should choose this bird, too,” Jack said.
State lawmakers are considering adding the prothonotary warbler to South Carolina’s list of official symbols, which would make it the state’s first officially designated migratory bird.
The prothonotary warbler is a “strikingly beautiful, golden-yellow” songbird that migrates annually between South Carolina and its wintering grounds in Central and South America, according to the bill’s text.
Image credit: Prothonotary warbler at Congaree National Park by John Martin.
South Carolina does not currently have an official migratory bird. The Carolina wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) has been the state bird since 1948, when the designation was signed into law by then-Gov. Strom Thurmond.
Jack, a fourth grader from Columbia, wore his Scout uniform as he testified before the Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs House Subcommittee.
“I like birds because they’re beautiful to the eyes and to the ears,” Jack told the lawmakers. “They make being outside more fun and watching birds makes me feel relaxed.”
He is a Webelos, meaning “we will be loyal scouts,” in Pack 37 and has been an active member for five years. He said studying the local habitat at his school, Heathwood Hall Episcopal, has made him love nature “even more.”
“When you start noticing birds, you start noticing a lot more about what’s outside,” Jack said.
South Carolina provides critical breeding grounds and a stopover habitat during the bird’s annual life cycle, particularly in the state’s hardwood forests, swamps and wetlands.
Image credit: Prothonotary warbler and chicks by David Ramage.
Jay Keck, a naturalist with South Carolina Wildlife Federation, said the bird is easy to spot if you know where to look.
The bird has short legs and a short tail and is slightly larger than other warblers. Its song sounds like “sweet sweet sweet,” Keck said.
“This will help us ensure the sweet sound of the warbler is a sound our swamps, forests and wetlands will have for generations to come,” Keck said.
Sponsor of the bill, Sen. Tom Davis, R-Beaufort, wrote via text that designating it as the official state migratory bird draws attention to the role in conserving “interconnected ecosystems and promotes awareness and responsible land and water management practices.”
It’s also a “really cool-looking golden-yellow songbird,” Davis wrote.
Audubon, a nonprofit conservation organization that manages more than 30,000 acres of critical bird habitat statewide, helps maintain essential habitat for the birds by preserving tree cavities for nesting and ensuring an abundant supply of insects for food. This is all critical as the species travels thousands of miles.
Jack learned about the bill from his parents, Jay and Connelly-Anne Ragley, who both work in government. He also attended an Audubon-hosted event where he spoke with staff and learned more about the bird.
Connelly-Anne Ragley emailed just about everyone — Jack’s teacher, former teacher, head of school, science director and more — so the entire fourth grade knew he was headed to the Statehouse to talk about why the bird was important.
Lawmakers voted to advance the bill out of subcommittee, sending it to a full committee.
“I thought it was kind of heart-touching to me, because I kind of worked hard to do this,” Jack said of lawmakers’ response to his testimony.
He said designating the bird would help kids like him learn more about the state and “feel proud of it.”
“Designating a state migratory bird like the prothonotary warbler allows us to bring more awareness to our feathered friends, including what all South Carolinians can do to help birds,” Jen Tyrrell, community science and research manager at Audubon.
Jack hopes the bill will be signed by Gov. Henry McMaster this year.
After his speech, he celebrated with a lunch outing with his mom before heading back to his fourth-grade classroom for “peak,” an outdoor education program where students paddleboard on a pond and learn about the environment.
Lawmakers on the panel told Jack that Rep. Bill Hixon, R-North Augusta, the full committee’s chair, would write him a school excuse note.
When asked if he would return if the bill reached McMaster for signing, Jack smiled.
We are delighted to celebrate the talented students who participated in the 2025 South Carolina Songbird Art Contest, presented in partnership with Wildlife Forever. Congratulations to this year’s winners, and thank you to everyone who participated! This statewide contest invited K–12 students to explore South Carolina’s native songbirds through art, encouraging creativity while deepening students’ understanding of local wildlife and the habitats on which the birds depend.
By blending art with environmental education, the Songbird Art Contest helps students learn about bird identification, migration, and habitat conservation while fostering a sense of stewardship for South Carolina’s natural resources. These early connections to nature play a crucial role in building the next generation of conservationists and informed environmental leaders.
With 163 incredible submissions, selecting the winners was no easy task. Each piece reflected a unique perspective and a shared appreciation for South Carolina’s songbirds. We are grateful to every student, teacher, and family member who helped make this contest possible and joined us in advancing our mission to conserve and restore South Carolina’s wildlife and their habitats through education and advocacy.
Selected artwork will be featured throughout the year on our website and social media channels. Be sure to follow us on Facebookand Instagram@SCWildlifeFederation to see these incredible works and help us celebrate the next generation of conservation-minded artists.
Grade Winners: Kindergarten – Third
First place: Case Dorrell, grade 3.
Second place: Elana Cook, grade 1.
Third place: Mehar Tulsi, grade 3.
Grade Winners: Fourth – Sixth
First place: Amelie Rothrock, grade 6.
Second place: Caydence Vaughn, grade 6.
Third place: Adalyn Odom, grade 5.
Grade Winners: Seventh – Ninth
First place: Tori Shellenberger, grade 7.
Second place: Aarush Dubey, grade 9.
Third place: Tobias Shellenberger, grade 8.
Grade Winners: Tenth – Twelfth
First place (tie): Katherine Crowell, grade 11.
First place (tie): Sara Brunson, grade 11.
Second place: Michelle Kleich, grade 11.
Third place: Grayson Powell, grade 10.
We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to Dominion Energy for their generous support of the 2025 South Carolina Songbird Art Contest. Their commitment to education and environmental stewardship made this program possible, and helped connect students across South Carolina with wildlife conservation in a meaningful and creative way.
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Thank you to Governor Henry McMaster for his dedication to preserving land in South Carolina!
Below is section of the transcript of his State of the State Address given January 28, 2026 which relates to land conservation. Read the full transcript here.
“South Carolina’s future prosperity requires us to enhance our efforts to respect and protect our land, our history, our culture and our natural environment. It is not a coincidence that previous years of economic growth have followed our efforts to conserve, preserve, and display our unique gifts of nature’s abundance.
These are not opposing objectives which must be balanced as in a competition, one against the other. Instead, they are complementary, intertwined, and inseparable, each dependent on the other. Each can be accomplished to the fullest if we plan now and be bold.
In recent years, we have provided funds, time, and attention for identifying significant properties for preservation and conservation and for flood mitigation.
We created the Floodwater Commission. Its purposes included measuring our strengths and weaknesses concerning flooding, erosion and the conditions of our rivers, coast and barrier islands; and to make recommendations for the State to act upon. From the commission’s recommendations came the creation of a new cabinet agency, the Office of Resilience, and a Chief Resilience Officer for the state.
Their mission: To develop plans and studies to identify and understand flooding issues, to deploy mitigation projects, to provide grants for flood reduction, to conduct the voluntary buyout of homes in flood-prone areas, to protect and preserve endangered lands and wetlands, and to take on special environmental protection projects, as was done with the remarkable cleanup of over a million and a half gallons of hazardous toxins, tainted ballast and old diesel fuel inside the USS Yorktown in Charleston Harbor.
After the state’s official Water Plan languished without update or consensus for over twenty years, we created the WaterSC working group, led by the new cabinet agency, the Department of Environmental Services. We tasked this cadre of stakeholders to quickly complete the plan and provide an inventory of how much surface and ground water we have, and how much we will need in the future. Like the old saying goes, “if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.” I am pleased to report that the new State Water Plan was completed and published just last month.
Today we have a veritable army of people, farmers, public and private organizations, as well as local governments, dedicated to these endeavors, including the Conservation Land Bank, the Department of Natural Resources, the Office of Resilience, the Forestry Commission, the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, the Nature Conservancy, the Open Space Institute, the Darla Moore Foundation, the Audubon Society and Francis Marion University.
In less than 10 years, we have preserved almost 400,000 acres of historically or environmentally significant lands, including the State’s largest conservation easement in history, which last year permanently protected 62,000 acres in the Pee Dee.
We have protected our most important historic and cultural sites, including Snow’s Island, where General Francis Marion’s Revolutionary War camp is somewhere located, and the colonial era Blessing Plantation, on the Cooper River. These properties are protected and in the future will become publicly owned, welcoming visitors to enjoy and learn about key aspects of South Carolina’s landscape and history.
Also included in this newly conserved acreage are African American historic sites, working farms and forests, and new areas for outdoor recreation, from the mountains to the sea.
Over the decade we have created new state parks, such as Ramsey Grove on the Black River and expanded existing parks in the midlands and the upstate. Among these is the Glendale Nature Park, in Spartanburg, one of the largest urban parks in the Upstate.
A significant portion of this land was protected with funding from the South Carolina Conservation Land Bank – just over $250 million. The investment from the Bank has brought in other funding from federal, local and private sources, exhibiting an unprecedented level of efficiency and effectiveness that has been the hallmark of South Carolina land conservation for many years.
Importantly, local governments have stepped up on land conservation, collectively investing many millions of dollars to conserve land and create new parks. But, of the forty-six counties in the state, only a few have conservation funding programs. I urge all of our counties to join this effort.
Protecting our land is a gift for all our people. With insight and continued hard work, we can achieve the goal helping private and public property owners with preserving half their lands for future generations, and making our South Carolina recognizable as the closest thing we have to heaven on earth.“
Last Saturday, 25 dedicated volunteers gathered at Camp Discovery in Blythewood, South Carolina, to help monitor nest boxes and support local bird conservation efforts. Their hard work allowed us to inspect 37 nest boxes and document 17 nests, resulting in a 43% nesting success rate.
There were nine Eastern bluebird nests observed and seven Carolina chickadee nests, two cavity-nesting species that benefit from well-maintained nest boxes. The nest box checks also helped us assess maintenance needs across the site. We identified boxes that will need to be replaced and also some that require repairs to ensure they remain safe and usable for future nesting seasons. This information allows us to plan improvements that directly benefit wildlife.
In addition to collecting data, volunteers cleaned out old nesting material from boxes that were no longer in use. Regularly cleaning nest boxes is essential for bird health, as it helps reduce parasites and disease, prevents nest material from building up too high, and makes boxes more attractive to birds returning to nest in future seasons.
This important work wouldn’t be possible without our volunteers. Their time, care, and enthusiasm make a real difference for birds at Camp Discovery, and we’re grateful for their commitment to conservation.
On December 20, SCWF held a POWR+ Quail Hunt at the South Carolina Governor’s School for Agriculture at John de la Howe in McCormick, South Carolina. POWR stands for our Palmetto Outdoors Women Retreat, and POWR+ classes like these are one-day workshops held across the state to help women build upon the skills learned at the retreat.
We were thrilled that our Board Member Hunter Morton and his wife Hope Morton were able to lead this hunt for us. Hunter and Hope are experienced, avid quail hunters. They are the owners of ALL IN Kennels, where they train bird dogs and offer obedience training, so we were lucky to have such knowledgeable instructors. Their friend, Colby, also joined us as a guide.
Ten women joined us for this hunt, and it was the first quail hunt for most participants. After a lunch of delicious venison burgers, a SCDNR Game Warden delivered a safety talk and answered questions. Then Hunter, Hope, and Colby demonstrated the quail hunting procedures so that everyone would feel safe and comfortable in the woods. While the birds were being placed, Hope shared her experiences growing up hunting with her family and talked about being a woman in the upland hunting space.
The group then divided up into two groups of five and headed into the woods for the hunt! It was a joy to get to watch the dogs find the quail. The teamwork with the dogs, all German Shorthaired Pointers, was a special part of the day.
At the end of the hunt, the groups met back up to share stories from their experience and Hunter showed the participants how to clean their harvest before everyone headed home.
We are grateful to our sponsor, the National Shooting Sports Foundation! Because of their support, all participants received an orange/camo Richardson hat, a safety vest, and Ear/eye protection.
I recently opened the door to my garden shed and encountered a squirrel, busily chewing away on a support beam. We were both quite surprised to see each other, and she panicked and started zigzagging all over the shed, knocking things over everywhere she went. I opened the door wider for an escape route, but she eventually escaped through the hole that she had made that morning to gain entry. As I was picking up all of the tools now strewn about, I thought about her trying to find a warm safe shelter and how all wildlife are constantly dealing with new threats while just trying to survive.
Clear-cutting with noisy machinery causes wildlife to have to venture away from their normal range, crossing dangerous roadways, with no guarantee they will find another suitable habitat. Waterways carry runoff chemicals, sediments and litter across our state. Wetlands are being filled in and built upon, and many amphibians and reptiles aren’t able to move to another area as easily as birds and mammals. Meanwhile, regulations meant to protect habitat are being dismantled.
It all seems overwhelming, but we constantly meet people who are very passionate about making a positive impact for wildlife. People like you who join with us to continue working hard to increase our impact. It might be planting native plants in your backyard, picking up litter, participating in citizen science activities, calling your representatives at the state or national level, drinking shade-grown bird-friendly coffee, using reusable grocery bags and water bottles, or other small actions which are amplified when we all work together. Of course, donating to SCWF helps us continue upholding protective regulations and working to conserve lands and waterways for wildlife habitat.
Please consider a donation now to help us continue our mission to conserve and restore South Carolina’s wildlife and their habitat through education and advocacy.
All donations stay in South Carolina, are tax-deductible and fully support our mission.
For 94 years, SCWF has offered many ways for you to connect with nature, learn new skills, and take action in your community. We hope you will join us in the coming year to increase our impact for wildlife together.
Sara Green Executive Director
Our Impact
5,000 packets of free native milkweed seeds distributed to SC households for monarch butterfly habitat conservation!
3,040+ learners reached through educational classes and trainings.
100,000+ people reached when we presented our conservation message at large-scale events such as the Palmetto Sportsmen’s Classic and other outreach events.
500 newly certified habitats in our state, which enhance wildlife habitat and increase connectivity, making our state #2 in the nation per capita.
142 volunteers showed up and helped with hands-on conservation projects, planting native plants, and litter sweeps.
100 high school students reached at Camp Wildwood, a summer camp that inspires the next generation of environmental stewards with its steadfast legacy in conservation and jobs in the field.
94 women acquired outdoor skills through our Palmetto Outdoors Women Retreat (POWR) series.
48 scholarship applications were received in 2025. With the help of generous donors, four were awarded to very deserving students.
49,000+ followers reached through our eNewsletter, communications, and social media posts.
6 demonstration pollinator gardens installed this year through grant funding.
Conservation
To ensure that future generations can enjoy our state’s wildlife and their habitat, every program, event, and class is imbued with our conservation message. We completed the fourth year of our Plishing Challenge, our conservation initiative designed to encourage anglers to help keep our waterways clean and use best fishing practices. This year’s challenge featured several in-person surf fishing events and litter sweeps that helped amplify our conservation message. Thanks to this increased participation, we achieved our highest fish total yet: 1,525 fish were caught (with most released for bonus points!). Participants also removed 307 bags of litter from local waterways, creating a cleaner, healthier environment for both fish and people.
2025 Plishing Challenge.
Advocacy
SCWF works with state legislators to conserve, restore, and protect land, water, and wildlife habitat from the mountains to the sea. With our support, bills were passed this year that will safeguard shorebird habitat, protect birds migrating through urban areas, and greatly increase the use of native plants for landscaping. With partner organizations, we’ve challenged developers wanting to fill in wetlands, and also challenged policy-makers to use scientific data to update regulations. We also partner with the National Wildlife Federation on issues of national significance, and are currently working together to defend the Endangered Species Act from significant changes which would strip away critical habitat protections.
Red-cockaded woodpecker by Savannah Jordan.
Restoration
SCWF helps to enhance wildlife habitat and connectivity through our habitat restoration programs, which are increasingly vital as human development expands. We support those needs through our Certified Wildlife Habitat® programs, where individuals, schools, businesses, and communities enhance their properties by planting native plants, installing nesting boxes, and making other habitat improvements to help wildlife thrive. South Carolina has 15 certified communities, 12,479 certified backyard habitats, and 27 industry habitats. Please consider creating your own to increase habitat for wildlife!
A demonstration pollinator garden was installed at the Lancaster County Library this year!
Education
To encourage outdoor recreation and a deeper appreciation of South Carolina’s incredible natural resources, SCWF proudly offers a wide range of educational programs across the state. This year, we added new statewide habitat workshops to our impressive array of naturalist courses, Palmetto Pro Birder classes, and hands-on youth education experiences. Our first Families Exploring Nature Day introduced fishing basics, birding, and nature walks to those who may be newer to outdoor experiences. This spring, we hosted our popular Palmetto Outdoors Women’s Retreat (POWR) near Clemson and continued to offer POWR+ classes statewide to build on acquired skills.
Palmetto Pro Birders at Huntington Beach State Park.
The Colleton County Zoning Board of Appeals will be considering a request this Thursday to allow a new data center on an 850+ acre property south of Walterboro off of Green Pond Highway in the ACE Basin Project Area.
SCWF, along with our partners at the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) and other conservation organizations, are opposed to this request due to the impact it will have on sensitive wildlife habitat on the site as well as in the surrounding waterways.
The ACE Basin is one of the East Coast’s largest undeveloped wetland estuaries and it serves as vital habitat for migratory birds, sea turtles, and other wildlife, and offers opportunities for birding, hunting, fishing, and exploring unique natural beauty. This proposed data center, and other similar projects which may be proposed in the future, would drastically change the landscape and available habitat in the ACE Basin due to its potential water and electricity usage.
SCWF and our conservation partners are encouraging Walterboro area residents to attend the public meeting on Thursday, December 18th at 5:30 PM at the Colleton County Civic Center. The Civic Center is located at 494 Hampton Street in Walterboro.
The Zoning Board of Appeals needs to see the large number of residents who are paying attention to these decisions, and hear comments about how this project would impact your community. Please feel free to share these materials with your neighbors and encourage them to attend as well!
It will take all of us working together to protect habitat for wildlife as they face more and more threats every day across our beautiful state. Thank you for considering how you can protect wildlife and their habitat in your own community!
Blog post by Allison Bugarin, SCWF Education and Outreach Manager.
We had an incredible day exploring Huntington Beach State Park together! Winter birding along South Carolina’s coast never disappoints, but this trip delivered something truly special.
From the moment we stepped onto the woods to the last views leaving the park, we were surrounded by nonstop wildlife activity and unforgettable moments. Birds may have been our focus, but the park treated us to an outstanding mix of species—both feathered and not. We enjoyed amazing looks at saltmarsh sparrows! Some other species that we got great looks at were common loons, American white pelicans, green-winged teal, and a beautifully camouflaged Wilson’s snipe.
Image caption: Saltmarsh sparrow taken by a class participant.
Image caption: American white pelican taken by a class participant.
Beyond the birds, we were also lucky to encounter several fantastic non-bird species. A green sea turtle surfaced near the jetty, offering an unforgettable moment for everyone watching. A couple of minks darted in and out of the rocks along the jetty, and one of the largest Atlantic ghost crabs I’ve seen made an appearance on the beach on our walk back from the jetty.
Image Caption: Wood stork by John Martin.
Image caption: Great blue heron photo taken by a class participant.
As if the day needed anything more, a few participants even caught a glimpse of a roosting Eastern Screech-Owl on their way out of the park! This was a perfect ending to an already magical outing.
Thanks to everyone’s sharp eyes and enthusiasm, we wrapped up the day with 79 species for the day. From waterfowl to songbirds, the diversity of habitats at Huntington Beach State Park gave us an incredible variety to enjoy.
Image caption: Wilson’s snipe by John Martin.
SCWF would like to say special thank you to Irvin Pitts for sharing his expertise and guidance throughout the trip. Birding alongside him was a rare treat, and we were incredibly fortunate to have his knowledge and sharp eyes with us for the day. Thank you to everyone who joined this trip. Your energy, curiosity, and camaraderie made the day truly memorable. I hope you enjoyed the experience as much as I did, and I can’t wait to see you again on our next adventure!
Image Credit: Atlantic ghost crab by Allison Bugarin.
This trip is part of our Palmetto ProBirder Program, which is at the heart of what we do at the South Carolina Wildlife Federation. By combining outdoor adventure, connection with others, and hands-on learning, we hope to inspire more people to become advocates for healthy wildlife habitats. Each time someone logs a bird sighting, plants a native plant, or supports conservation through a Duck Stamp or donation, it adds up to real and lasting change for the landscapes and species we love.
SCWF and other conservation groups are working to ensure that new housing developments conserve critical wildlife habitat and protect residents from increased flooding. The commentary below by Coastal Conservation League founder, Dana Beach, describes the almost 10,000-acre proposed Cainhoy development in Charleston, near the Francis Marion National Forest. Not only will it significantly increase traffic headaches, it will destroy nearly 200 acres of wetlands which offer critical habitat as well as protection from flooding.
One of my first experiences visiting the Cainhoy community was in the mid-1980s when I drove out to eat supper at a Cajun restaurant called La Tasha’s. The trip took more than an hour from downtown Charleston — across the old Cooper River Bridge, through Mount Pleasant, up Highway 41, across the Wando River, and then down Cainhoy Road to a modest white building beside a peaceful road in the forest.
At the time, I could not have imagined that within a few decades the Cainhoy peninsula would be practically destroyed — paved over by sprawling development enabled by the city of Charleston.
Thirty-five years ago, this peninsula, just to the northeast of historic Charleston, was a remote, authentic and beautiful place: Its people and culture were carefully documented by Charleston journalist and author Herb Frazier in “Behind God’s Back,” a collection of historical notes and personal interviews. Picture majestic live oaks and longleaf pine forests, farm fields, marshes and creeks, interspersed with historic Gullah communities such as Yellow House, St. Thomas and Jack Primus.
For more than a century, Cainhoy residents had made their living mostly from the land and water, farming and raising livestock, or fishing and oystering in the creeks and marshes of the Cooper and Wando rivers. Despite the challenges of life in those days, Cainhoy residents built strong families and resilient communities that have contributed to the Charleston area in countless ways.
Sadly, Charleston has not repaid the favor. Today’s Cainhoy peninsula would be unrecognizable to anyone whose last visit was in 1990. The historic Clements Ferry Road is now a five-lane highway lined with strip malls, gas stations and subdivisions.
Instead of navigating rivers, creeks and familiar roads, residents wade through immobilizing traffic congestion every weekday morning and afternoon.
If today’s traffic problems on the Cainhoy peninsula seem almost intolerable, they don’t begin to approximate the disruption that will plague the area in the coming years. As development progresses on Cainhoy Plantation — now called Point Hope — it will add 9,000 more houses to the peninsula. Clements Ferry Road and Highway 41 will be further burdened by 45,000 to 60,000 additional vehicle trips daily, tripling the number of cars on these roads now.
The Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments transportation model of the road system is bleak and unequivocal: When Point Hope is built out, these roads will operate at what transportation planners call “Level of Service F.” In lay terms, this means gridlock.
It didn’t have to turn out this way.
In 1991, Charleston Mayor Joe Riley moved to annex Daniel Island into the city. Five years later, the owners agreed to let the city annex the considerably larger Cainhoy Plantation, extending to the border of the Francis Marion National Forest.
The owners were enticed with lavish public subsidies. According to a spokesperson from Daniel Island, “In excess of $250 million has been committed (in the area) by city, county and the state in terms of schools here, the roads, the bridges, water and sewer, public safety and all of those things.”
Perhaps most importantly, Charleston signed a contract with the Guggenheims that restricted the city from substantially modifying the Cainhoy Plantation plan for 50 years. The agreement included the right to build 18,000 houses and condominiums on the property. Thus, the stage was set for the wholesale transformation of one of the most beautiful and historic places in the Southeast.
While the future of Daniel Island was the subject of years of public hearings and benefited from the expertise of some of the nation’s most talented land planners, Cainhoy was afforded no such careful attention. Unlike Daniel Island, the Cainhoy owners began dismembering the property, selling it piecemeal to national tract homebuilders such as Pulte Homes.
For more than two decades conservation groups, along with courageous residents of the Cainhoy community, have advocated for improvements to the development plan that would reduce the crush of traffic and lessen some of the environmental and cultural damage.
The recent protection of Blessing plantation, just up the river, provides an inspirational example of land owners working collaboratively with the community, local government and environmental groups to secure a beautiful destination for centuries to come. In contrast, the Guggenheim family and their development company have consistently rejected virtually every conservation proposal.
It is critical that citizens understand that the unfolding Cainhoy catastrophe was not inevitable nor is it irreversible. There is still time for City Council to make substantial changes to the Cainhoy-Point Hope project — changes that are justified by the threat the development poses to public health, safety and welfare.
But time is of the essence. The fate of the Cainhoy peninsula hangs in the balance.
Dana Beach is a longtime conservation leader who lives in Charleston.
On the hunt: South Carolina is wild about game by Becky Lacy was published in the Charleston City Paper on November 13, 2025.
Be it deer, duck or quail, hundreds of thousands of South Carolinians hunt annually. It’s a way of life for many. And the vast majority of those who hunt do so for the meat.
Whether preparing duck in a restaurant kitchen or raising birds at the country’s largest quail farm, hunting is intrinsic for many in South Carolina.
A lifelong love of duck
River Hill, executive chef at Charleston’s Honeysuckle Rose, grew up in Florence where he spent a lot of time outside. Whether exploring the woods behind his house or fishing and camping at one of the area’s rivers, he loves the land.
“Connecting with nature has always been an integral part of my life,” he said. “My love of duck hunting started at a very young age as it was something that my dad and I did together. It almost felt like a special event.”
Image Credit: Early Teachings by Donna Brookshire.
Since duck season in South Carolina only lasts for about two months each year, he recalls spending most of the year looking forward to the next season. He and his dad would wake up at 4 a.m. and be in the woods an hour later, waiting for the ducks to fly over. Sometimes they would bring home ducks and prepare them for breakfast with bacon and cheddar grits. And sometimes they wouldn’t see a single bird fly. But the outcome didn’t matter.
“There’s something truly humbling about being immersed in nature, especially when everything is dark and quiet around you,” Hill said. “Even more so when you’re experiencing the moment with people you love. I learned it’s more important to appreciate the time spent together than what you’re trying to hunt.”
Image Credit: Minding our Business by Tammie Miller.
Now at the helm of the Honeysuckle Rose kitchen, he said he feels a great responsibility serving duck.
“I think, if you are going to take an animal’s life, you should pay it the respect it deserves by using every part of it,” Hill shared. “Since I started cooking, butchery has always interested me. Using technique and knowledge of anatomy, you can turn every part of an animal into an ingredient in a recipe that not only feeds people, but makes them happy.”
While breast and leg meat are the most frequently used parts of a duck, Hill said he finds creative ways to use the whole animal to make sure nothing goes to waste. One of his favorite parts of being a chef is getting imaginative with parts that people aren’t really used to eating.
He takes the liver and sweats it down with aromatics like shallot, garlic and thyme. He emulsifies it with cream and butter for a duck liver mousse. He then serves the mousse with a watermelon rind mostarda, grilled sourdough and fresh herbs. He also uses the neck to make a roulade and the feet and wings as the base of a flavorful stock in his duck confit and buttermilk dumplings dish.
While Hill can make magic out of any part of a duck, it is duck breast that he loves cooking most. He starts it in a cold cast iron pan and slowly renders the fat. Once the fat is mostly out and the skin starts to brown, he turns the heat up to crisp the skin before basting the duck in its own fat.
“Cooking duck breast is similar to cooking fish,” Hill said. “You want to do about 90% of the cooking on one side then flip it right at the end. After flipping, I throw in a good knob of butter, some thyme and a couple of smashed garlic cloves. As the butter browns and gets foamy, I keep basting. It adds so much flavor.”
Hill’s love of game is lifelong, both in the woods and in the kitchen. “I absolutely love working with wild game,” he said. “You can really taste the terroir and what the animal’s diet consisted of. A lot of people have certain preconceived notions about what wild game animals are going to taste like, and I love the challenge of presenting a wild game dish in a way that is approachable and delicious.”
Quail yeah
Manchester Farms outside of Columbia was founded in 1974 by Bill Odom. It was the first quail farm in the United States and today remains one of the largest quail producers in the country. The second-generation, family-owned farm is now owned and operated by Odom’s daughter and her husband, Brittney and Matt Miller.
Manchester raises Pharaoh quail, a breed that originated in Asia. These birds are adaptable to a farm environment and are less susceptible to disease. They grow from chick to full-sized adult in just five weeks, and the females can produce up to 300 eggs per year. Manchester breeds, hatches, raises and harvests around 3 million birds annually.
Image Credit: Someone Call Bobwhite by James Edwards.
“When my dad was asked to interview with a company in the early 1970s, they flew him to New Jersey,” said Brittney. “At the end of the interview, he asked ‘how long is your hunting season?’ They responded, ‘two weeks’ and he replied, ‘Thank you for your time and flew home.’
“That’s when my dad started Manchester Farms. He is an avid quail hunter and started dressing quail in our backyard for neighbors almost 55 years ago. Game and South Carolina are yin and yang. Much of South Carolina’s population is largely hunters or their family members hunt.
“Protecting the land from being overdeveloped to protect the nature and game of South Carolina is critical. Manchester Farms is deeply rooted with game as that is our heritage and our love for hunters and DNR (the S.C.Department of Natural Resources).”
Today, food service companies are big buyers of quail meat. Top-tier distributors like Sysco, US Foods, Shamrock and smaller specialty businesses carry Manchester Farms quail.
Due to the health benefits of quail eggs, there has been huge mainstream growth for the product. Quail eggs are rich in protein, vitamins (A, B12 and D) and minerals like iron, selenium and zinc. They also have antioxidants and essential fatty acids. All these components help boost immunity, strengthen bone health, regulate blood sugar and improve brain function and eye health. Quail eggs and meat truly are superfoods.
Quail season in South Carolina lasts from late fall and into winter, starting the Monday before Thanksgiving and running until March 1. While people still hunt wild quail, there are very few wild birds in the state. Manchester often ships frozen quail to hunting camps to serve to guests so hunters can take home any wild birds they shoot.
Quail is versatile in the kitchen. While fried quail is very popular, you can also grill, bake and sauté it, similar to how you would treat other poultry. And if cooking quail at home isn’t for you, Manchester Farms product can be found at some of Charleston’s best restaurants including The Glass Onion, Halls Chophouse, Husk and Lowland.
Conservation, education and licensing
Sara Green is the executive director of the South Carolina Wildlife Federation (SCWF), founded in 1931 by hunters and anglers who were concerned about the impact that humans were having on wildlife habitat. It’s the state’s oldest conservation group. Green worries that that the decline of any wildlife population is habitat loss. The clear-cutting of land as well as air and water pollution contribute to habitat loss, and SCWF actively works to conserve land and enhance wildlife habitat.
Photo of Sara Green by Ashley Medlin.
“In South Carolina, and across the country, sportsmen were responsible for starting the conservation movement and pressing for hunting regulations based on science to protect game species from over-harvest,” Green said. “Ensuring that future generations would also be able to hunt and fish was a major motivating factor.”
Green noted hunters still play a significant role in conservation efforts. They buy hunting licenses and tags, and pay taxes on related equipment, which means considerable funding for state wildlife management. This, in turn, supports habitat restoration, research and land acquisition for wildlife preservation. The impact from conservation dollars from hunters for habitat management far outweighs the harvests of individual animals, she said.
“Most South Carolina hunters are hunting for game species to use the meat to feed their families,” she said. “Deer, turkey and ducks are the main species hunted. [Hunters] greatly appreciate the opportunity to carry on a tradition that often goes back several generations, and also to connect with the land, notice the birds, squirrels and plants, observe the mist on the lake as the sun rises, and just experience the peace and serenity of nature.”
Duck and dumplings
Recipe by River Hill, executive chef, Honeysuckle Rose
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
3 cloves garlic, minced (reserve scrapes for stock)
In a cold, dry cast iron pan, add the duck breasts and place over medium-low heat, allowing the fat to render slowly.
When the skin begins to crisp, turn the heat up to medium high. Using a spoon, baste the breast in its own fat.
Flip the breast. Add butter and fresh herbs and baste until the internal temperature of the duck is around 135 degrees Fahrenheit, or until the skin is golden brown and crispy to
the touch.
Remove the duck from heat. Allow to rest until internal temperature reaches
145 degrees Fahrenheit. While the breast is resting, make the dumplings.
Chef’s note: 90% of the cooking will be done on the skin side. Once flipped, pay careful attention as to not overcook.
To make the dumplings
1 cup self-rising flour
¾ cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
In a large mixing bowl, add flour, buttermilk, chives, salt and pepper. Mix until all ingredients are fully incorporated.
To finish the dish
2 tablespoons Canola oil
2 Vidalia sweet onions, small diced
3 large carrots, peeled and small diced
3 ribs celery, small diced (reserve celery leaves for garnish)
In a stock pot or Dutch oven, add oil and put over medium heat.
Add diced onion, carrots and celery and sweat until onions are translucent,
but not browned.
Add garlic and sweat until soft, add chicken stock and bring to a simmer.
Using 2 spoons, scoop a spoon full of the dumpling dough and carefully place it into the simmering duck stock. Repeat this step, one dumpling at a time, until the surface of the pot is full and there’s no more space to drop the dumplings in.
Cover the pot and let the dumplings simmer for about 8 mins or until the dumplings are slightly firm but still pillowy.
Using a spoon, push dumplings to the side and make a hole to add pulled duck confit meat into the duck stock.
Remove pot from heat. Add salt and pepper, hot sauce and fresh lemon juice to taste.
To plate and serve
Using a ladle, spoon out some of the dumplings and duck confit from the pot into desired serving bowls.
Thinly slice the duck breasts. Layer four to five slices on one side of each bowl.
To finish, roughly chop the fine herbs and celery leaves and garnish your bowl of duck and dumplings to your liking.
