Image by Flickr user prairiedog

In 2011, the state's Department of Natural Resources plans to propose a law that will limit the hunters to killing no more than four bucks and four does per year.

Naturally, hunters aren't happy with the news and claim that limits won't allow them to control the deer population on their land effectively. DNR officials agree that the deer population is large, but the rate at which young deer are killed by both hunters and coyotes is a concerning matter.

The limit will be instated to ensure that young bucks are kept alive longer and that does have more time to birth a healthy amount of fawns. A recent study found that coyote predation now means it takes an average of three does per year to keep one fawn alive until the fall.

According to the article in The Post and Courier, the proposal will be submitted to the S.C. Legislature for consideration in the 2011 session starting in January.