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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- The Department of Natural Resources is recommending limits on deer hunting in South Carolina.

The State newspaper reported the agency's board has recommended that hunter be limited to four bucks each year.

The board also approved a tagging system to help count the number of animals killed.

The proposals go to the General Assembly for consideration next year.

DNR biologist Charles Ruth says studies indicate the state's deer population has dropped from about 1 million to about 750,000 in the past 10 years.

Hunters in the Upstate already are limited to five bucks per year, but officials say that's difficult to enforce because there's no good way to track kills. There are no limits elsewhere.

Agency officials say 70 percent of hunters support the new limits.