Keep South Carolina Wild

Category: Fishing

Palmetto Outdoor Women’s Retreat (POWR) Series Opens the Door to Outdoor Adventures

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For media inquiries contact: BeBe Dalton Harrison, South Carolina Wildlife Federation, bebe@scwf.org, (803) 256-0670

“Small group size, amazing instructors, absolutely fantastic!  Lots of staff for our small groups so our instructors were able to pinpoint issues and help us improve.” Comments like these from POWR Series participants inspire the South Carolina Wildlife Federation to continue to provide quality instruction for women and their outdoor adventures.

This educational program has grown, from a weekend of introductory outdoor activities, to a progression of topics that help participants build knowledge and confidence in outdoor skills.  After learning the basics with patient and knowledgeable instructors at POWR, participants are ready to build on what they learned at POWR Up and in POWR+ events. These longer and more in-depth programs foster their newfound skills and build on those they already have, giving them the confidence to participate on their own or with like-minded women they may meet at the events.

Registration for the October 4-5 POWR Up is open to anyone wanting to build on their outdoor skills. Set in beautiful Santee State Park, participants will have the opportunity to register for up to 3 classes including topics like Boating and Trailering, Bass Fishing, Outdoor Photography, Hunting in South Carolina, Pine Needle Basketry, Kayak Fishing, and more. All gear and equipment is provided for this event and the small class sizes make this such a valuable experience for the instructors and the participants. As one participant described, “POWR keeps me connected to like-minded women in an atmosphere that brings me back to my beloved Girl Scout days. (It is) A way to experience the outdoors without having to own all the equipment needed for all the activities I want to experience.”

BeBe Dalton Harrison, Director of Education at the South Carolina Wildlife Federation, organizes POWR and wants to invite women who want more experience in the outdoors to join in this year’s event. “POWR Up builds on basic skills to help women feel more confident spending time outdoors.” says Harrison. “We want women to not only learn outdoor skills, but to take what they learn and continue it with friends and family, and in some cases develop a passion for it,” Harrison explains. She continues, “We want women to move from awareness of these amazing opportunities to participation in their own outdoor adventures. Women can confidently invite others to go fishing, boating, birding, and more.”

In addition to the fall POWR Up event, two POWR+ events are scheduled for the month of September. POWR+ events are one day sessions that run from 10 am to 2 pm offering an in-depth look at a specific topic. Registration is also open for these two POWR+ events.

●  The first is POWR+ Inshore Fishing with Artificial Lures with Captain Tanya Dowdy where participants will learn techniques to fish with many different types of artificial lures including hard baits, soft plastics, floats, and more.  Participants will get the chance to meet at one of South Carolina’s newest State Parks, May Forest. There will be an instructional portion along with the opportunity to fish using their new skills.

● The second is: POWR+ Beach Ecology with Naturalist Amber Von Harten will introduce participants to our coastal environment at the beautiful Botany Bay.  Participants will learn about the beach environment, flora and fauna, and shell identification.

The POWR Series is presented by the South Carolina Wildlife Federation with generous support from organizations and volunteers.  Supporters who help make these events possible include the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Bass Pro Shops (Greenville Store),  Nature Adventure Outfitters, Angling Women,  Chattooga River Fly Shop, and Three Sisters Essentials. These partnerships enable us to provide a wide variety of activities conducted by a diverse group of expert instructors.

To learn more about the POWR Series, we invite women to visit www.scwf.org for more information. We suggest that you register early for these fun and educational experiences.

Camp Wildwood 2024: Seventy years of inspiring conservationists!

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By Ari Hippensteal, SCWF Community Outreach Manager

Camp Wildwood, a conservation camp founded in 1954, continues through another year of inspiring the next generation of environmental stewards with its steadfast legacy in conservation and associated jobs. This resident-camp provides a vast variety of ways high school students can learn how to engage with the environment- whether that is continuing on with a job through affiliates of the camp such as SCDNR and the South Carolina Wildlife Federation, or simply becoming an advocate for nature in their everyday lives.

Camp Wildwood employs the best staff and counselors and allows its campers to experience a wide range of activities and career roles in ways that inspire an adventurous spirit as they explore the outdoors. From shooting to boating to wildlife, navigation and fisheries, this is a week that serves as a treasured and memorable experience. The activities, while still being incredibly fun to participate in, demonstrate real-life skills and knowledge in topics like Wildlife, Fisheries, Forestry, and Hunter Education.


The camp can be somewhat daunting in the beginning, especially for the first year campers who are in an unfamiliar setting, meeting new people, learning new skills, and navigating some of the longstanding traditions of the camp like singing Taps and kitchen duty for the first time. Campers are assigned to Niches- or assigned groups that become like families, and the bonds and friendships that are made here often carry far beyond the camp. Regardless of whether you are attending as a camper, counselor, or staff; excellence, teamwork, and a passion to be here drives actions.






“It was a privilege to be able to attend this camp and to personally get to know the next generation of environmental advocates as someone that is currently in the field. It was an opportunity I will always appreciate and will continue to hold close to my heart and gather inspiration from as I continue working. There is so much hope for the future. Places like Camp Wildwood show me that things are going to get better, and that there are so many more people across different generations who all care and are working for the same thing.

— Ari Hippensteal, SCWF Community Outreach Manager

The South Carolina Wildlife Federation (SCWF) is a proud sponsor of Camp Wildwood. In addition to SCWF, other sponsors include the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the Garden Club of South Carolina, the Harry Hampton Memorial Wildlife Fund, and South Carolina Parks and Recreation. Camp Wildwood is held annually in June at Kings Mountain State Park and you can find out more information about it by visiting https://www.campwildwoodsc.com/.

South Carolina Celebrates the Inaugural “Women in Hunting and Fishing Awareness Day”

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“Next time”, said Representative Heather Bauer after climbing out of the deer stand recently. Although she did not harvest a deer on that hunt, Representative Bauer spent the day learning about deer hunting including safety, types of gear, what to wear, how to prepare, and more. Representative Bauer, a state representative from Richland County is co-chair of the Sportsmen’s Caucus and serves on the Wildlife subcommittee of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee and sponsored the bill to designate the third Saturday in November as “Women in Hunting and Fishing Awareness Day” each year.

Representative Bauer on a deer hunt with SCDNR officers.

Representative Bauer not only wants to bring awareness to women that participate in outdoor traditions, but she also wants to help share information about where women can go to learn more and receive proper training. She brought together a group of entities that are committed to helping women gain more skills in the outdoors including the South Carolina Wildlife Federation, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the National Wild Turkey Federation, and more. The group compiled a list of clinics and workshops that are available to women across the state and will be updated as opportunities arise. The South Carolina Wildlife Federation is excited to be a part of this effort to help encourage women to participate in hunting and fishing and to inspire them to advocate for and conserve our natural resources.

Continue reading “South Carolina Celebrates the Inaugural “Women in Hunting and Fishing Awareness Day””

Celebrating conservation, wildlife management in SC through outdoor sports

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By Angela Viney

Published by Spartanburg Herald-Journal, September 21, 2021

Over 100 years ago, hunters and anglers were the earliest and most vocal supporters of conservation and scientific wildlife management. They were the first to recognize that rapid development and unregulated uses of wildlife were threatening the future of many species.

Led by fellow sportsman President Theodore Roosevelt, these early conservationists called for the first laws restricting the commercial slaughter of wildlife, urged sustainable use of fish and game, created hunting and fishing licenses, and lobbied for taxes on sporting equipment to provide funds for state conservation agencies. Populations of white-tailed deer, elk, antelope, wild turkey, wood ducks and other species began to recover from decades of unregulated exploitation.

In South Carolina, the Game and Fish Association organized in 1931, the forerunner of the South Carolina Wildlife Federation that is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year. The concern at that time was that fish and game violations were threatening the bounty of South Carolina’s woods and waters.

The State’s Harry Hampton wrote in his columns urging sportsmen in the state to organize to press for amended laws. Harry spoke to the Sumter Rotary Club in June 1931 and the members endorsed the idea of sportsmen’s clubs in every county. The Sumter chapter of The SC Game and Fish Association was born that day.

The SC Game and Fish Association met formally in Columbia to organize in October, 1931, with 150 sportsmen attending from 25 counties. In 1946, the SC Fish and Game Association reorganized as the South Carolina Wildlife Federation.

Eighth Annual Convention, SC Game & Fish Association, Sept. 15, 1938

By the following year, the Federation focused its efforts on creating a South Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission for the purpose of establishing and enforcing game laws in the state. The Federation’s battle was hard-fought, and the Commission was finally created in 1952 which evolved into the SC Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) in 1994.

The excise taxes on sporting equipment that the early conservationists called for was made possible by the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act in 1937, commonly called the “Pittman-Robertson Act” after its Congressional sponsors. It provides federal aid to states for the management and restoration of wildlife, and its funding comes from an 11 percent excise tax on sporting arms and ammunition.

The disbursement of these funds, generated through excise taxes on hunting, shooting and fishing equipment and boat fuel to all 50 states and U.S. territories, is distributed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In 2020, South Carolina received sportfish and wildlife restoration grants totaling $12,675,815.

To date, the Service has distributed more than $22.9 billion in apportionments for state conservation and recreation projects.

In an effort to honor hunters and anglers and their contributions to conservation, on May 2, 1972, President Richard Nixon signed the first proclamation of National Hunting and Fishing Day to be celebrated on the fourth Saturday of September. By late summer, all 50 governors and more than 600 mayors had joined in by proclaiming state and local versions of National Hunting and Fishing Day (NHF). The response was dramatic.

Upstate South Carolina is hosting a NHF Day celebration at Oconee County’s South Cove Park near Seneca. This free, fun, family adventure is open to the public and will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 25.

The 13th Upstate celebration of National Hunting and Fishing Day will include activities such as archery, air rifles, camouflage games, fly tying and casting, kayaking, fishing on Lake Keowee and much more. All activities are free, and all gear is provided.

National Hunting and Fishing Day is made possible by partnerships with the SCDNR, Oconee County Parks and Recreation, Trout Unlimited, Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service, South Carolina 4-H Shooting Sports and Harry Hampton Memorial Wildlife Fund.

National Hunting and Fishing Day is the most effective grassroots effort ever undertaken to promote outdoor sports and conservation. We look forward to this event every year. It is a great opportunity for the community to enjoy the great outdoors in a safe, educational environment with family and friends.

For directions and information, call South Cove County Park at 864-882-5250 or visit its Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/southcovecountypark

Angela Viney is the Chair of National Hunting and Fishing Day.

Published by Spartanburg Herald-Journal, September 21, 2021

America’s Conservation Enhancement Act is a Win for Wildlife and Sporting Traditions

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Contact: Mary Jo Brooks, National Wildlife Federation, brooksm@nwf.org, 303-549-8351
Sep 16, 2020

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The overwhelming bipartisan support in the U.S. Senate for America’s Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Act is a tremendous win for America’s wildlife and sporting traditions. Championed by Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), the bill invests in wetlands, fisheries, Chronic Wasting Disease research, and habitat restoration projects in the Chesapeake Bay and throughout the country. The U.S. House of Representatives should quickly follow suit and pass this important legislation so it can be signed into law.

“It’s no secret that our wildlife populations are stressed with a third of all species at risk of extinction. This act will restore wildlife habitat, encourage partnerships with state and tribal leaders for wildlife and disease management, and promote coexistence with wildlife on working lands,” said Mike Leahy, director of wildlife, hunting, and fishing policy at the National Wildlife Federation. “This is good news for all Americans who enjoy outdoor recreation, particularly our sportsmen and women.”

“At a time when our nation is divided over so many issues, this bill shows once again that Americans come together over concerns about wildlife, public lands, and conservation,” said Jesse Deubel, executive director of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation. “This common-sense bill will help wildlife and fish populations flourish through better management practices, habitat restoration, and disease research.”

Key provisions of the ACE Act include:

  • Establishing a Chronic Wasting Disease task force to develop an interstate action plan for state and federal cooperation relating to the disease
  • Commissioning a study by the National Academy of Sciences regarding the pathways and mechanisms of the transmission of Chronic Wasting Disease in the United States;
  • Reauthorizing the North American Wetlands Conservation Act until 2025;
  • Encouraging partnerships among public agencies and other interested parties for promoting fish conservation;
  • Reauthorizing the Chesapeake Bay Program until 2025;
  • Reauthorizing the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network and the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Grants Assistance Program until 2025;
  • Reauthorizing the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Act until 2025;
  • Establishing a program to provide grants to states and Indian tribes to compensate livestock producers for losses due to predation by federally protected species such as wolves or grizzly bears;
  • Establishing a Theodore Roosevelt Genius Prize for technological innovation to reduce human-predator conflict using non-lethal means.


https://www.nwf.org/Latest-News/Press-Releases/2020/09-16-20-ACE-Act

Banner image by Drew Yougedyke