48 lucky hunters will get a shot at Middle Creek deer

Come September, 48 Pennsylvania archery hunters could be running through the streets like Charlie Bucket, proudly hoisting their golden ticket. 

For the third year, Middle Creek Wildlife Management in northern Lancaster County is  taking applications for three special hunting sessions: Oct. 6-13, Oct. 20-27, and Nov. 3-10. Each session will consist of 16 hunters.

“Because it’s a controlled area, a lot of time during the season, the deer will filter here because there isn’t as much pressure,” Middle Creek Manager Lauren Ferreri said. “The idea behind the hunt is to provide a quality hunt experience. Having only 16 people in at a given time and having breaks will provide quality over quantity deer hunting.”

But the odds of getting one of the hottest hunting tickets in the state are certainly not in your favor.

Ferreri said they are expecting nearly 1,000 applications but only 48 lucky hunters will have their name drawn at a public event at 10 a.m.on Sept. 5 at the Middle Creek Visitor Center.

Half of the hunters in each session will be issued a buck tag, opening up an opportunity to harvest deer that are normally off-limits.

“If you’re someone that pays attention to Middle Creek in general, you’ll know there was a particularly large deer running around last year that drew a lot of attention,” Ferreri said. “I’m happy to say he survived the season without anyone trying to do something illegal. So he’ll be around this year.”

If you harvest a deer at Middle Creek, that tag will act as your allotted tag for the entire season. 

To apply, you must get a certified postcard from a U.S. Post office and write down your name, address, hunting license number and possess a doe tag for Wildlife Management Unit 5B or a DMAP permit for Disease Management Area 4, which encompasses parts of Berks, Lancaster and Lebanon counties. 

“As long as you have a 5B tag, you’re eligible,” Ferreri said. “We’ve had people apply from Philadelphia, State College and from the western part of the state.

Postcards can then be mailed to: Pennsylvania Game Commission MCWMA; P.O. Box 110; Kleinfeltersville, PA 17039. The deadline to apply is Aug 31.

Middle Creek is located in the quarantine zone set up by the Game Commission this year to limit the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease. But Ferreri believes her staff will be properly prepared for the regulation changes involved.

“We already have a blueprint in place because of other regions having to deal with this,” she said. “We’re going to make sure we have drop bins, so people can have deer tested. It’s a concern, but we hope that because we don’t have to make up our own plan, it will allow us to handle things better. “

All hunters involved in the special hunt must abide by all rules pertaining to a disease management area, including not taking high risk parts of the deer (brain, eyes, spine, spleen) out of the zone. Having your deer tested in the zone is free of charge.

The Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area Visitor Center is located at 100 Museum Rd, Stevens, PA 17578.

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