Wee Tee State Forest
Wee Tee State Forest is a sportsman’s paradise, containing more than 16,000 acres of bottomland hardwood forest with roughly 18 miles of frontage on the Santee River, where anglers and boaters visit eagerly from all around the state. A 200-acre lake, numerous ponds and oxbows provide pristine fish and wildlife habitat.
About Wee Tee
Acquired in January 2004, the original 12,403 acres of Wee Tee State Forest are located in Williamsburg and Georgetown counties. The addition of 3,857 acres to the southeastern boundary of this state forest in 2023 increased the Forestry Commission’s riverfront property by six miles, creating even more bountiful fishing and hunting opportunities for the public in this bucolic sportsmans’ paradise.
This latest expansion would not have been possible without our conservation partners’ work on the beautiful Santee River; the collaboration of The Nature Conservancy, Open Space Institute and the SC Conservation Bank in securing this new acreage will forever enhance this jewel of management and recreation.
Wee Tee’s bottomlands and aquatic systems furnish excellent fish and wildlife habitat and provide the citizens of South Carolina numerous recreational opportunities. Though subject to periodic flooding, it is considered one of the most significant tracts of land in the Santee River floodplain. There is also a large freshwater spring located on the property near the upper end of Wee Tee Lake.
Of special note
Like all the state forests managed by the South Carolina Forestry Commission, Wee Tee State Forest receives no state appropriations from the General Assembly and is 100% self-sustaining. Operating funds for the forest, as well as salaries, are generated from the sale of timber products, land leases and Wildlife Management Area (WMA) permits.
Additionally, Wee Tee State Forest pays 25% of its gross income to the local school districts in the counties in which the forest is located.
Things to do
Permits
Permits are required for hunting and fishing at Wee Tee State Forest.
Boating / fishing
The property contains two oxbow lakes, Wee Tee Lake and Ferry Lake, both of which are open for public boating and fishing seven days a week from sun up to sun down. A valid state freshwater fishing license is required to fish on Manchester State Forest. Fishing licenses can be purchased online through the SC Department of Natural Resources’ Online Customer Service Portal.
Hunting
Wee Tee State Forest is included in the SC Department of Natural Resources’ (SCDNR) Wildlife Management Area (WMA) program as part of a cooperative agreement between SCDNR and the SC Forestry Commission. SCDNR sets and regulates the methods of harvest, bag limits and other requirements for hunting on WMA lands, including Wee Tee. Please visit the SC Department of Natural Resources’ website for information regarding hunting rules and regulations on Wee Tee State Forest.
Access points
- Dirt road off Santee Road (County road 45) across from Sutton’ s Methodist Church. This road provides access to Wee Tee Lake. This road will be blocked at bridge across Wee Tee Lake due to hazardous bridges and unimproved roads.
- Dirt road off US 17A/SC 41 on the North side of the Santee River. This road provides access to Ferry Lake.
See map of canoe/kayak landings
Wee Tee State Forest is managed on the public’s behalf by the South Carolina Forestry Commission. For more information or questions, please call (803) 494-8196.