WPRA? Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area

OpticMinnow

New member
New to forum and relatively new to PA.

Have been studying wild Pheasant habitat (PGC studies and maps), and some of the more recent habitat maps available (while dated), show Lancaster County as one of the more hopeful of counties to sustain some wild pheasant reproduction.

I have made many trips to the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area and there is a lot of property dedicated to wildlife propagation, but not Wild Pheasant propagation from the info available.

My question is, has anyone (or any Pheasant Forever chapters) approached the state about Middle Creek WMA doubling as a WPRA (wild pheasant propagation area)? In effect, bringing in hardier birds from other parts of the country to help establish a roosting (for safety) and breeding population. Similar to the WPRAs in other parts of the state.

Seems like a lot of state funded management land that could use some extra support by leveraging the property for pheasant propagation as well (with perhaps some habitat funding).

I hear Middle Creek has been under financial scrutiny by the PGC and maybe a dual purpose creates a "win, win" (especially for those of us interested in developing a truly sustainable wild pheasant population in PA).

Has this ever come up? A fruitless thought?
 
Welcome! Unfortunately much of the leg work needed to create a WPRA has to be done by a PF Chapter. However, I believe moving forward something like you're suggesting is possible and more likely the direction the program could take.

A tremendous amount of progress has been made over the last decade mostly due to a dedicated few so it will be interesting to see how everything plays out.
 
There was a time when Middle Creek was literally overrun with wild pheasants. It was easy to observe groups with dozens of birds in them.
It also adds to the mystery when the discussion of what happened to our pheasants comes up. It still had adequate habitat to support the birds, yet ...well we all know the story!
 
Thanks HollowWatcher for the response.

I am a chapter-less member of Pheasants Forever who is willing and able to do the necessary legwork.

I don't think there is a local PF chapter (Lititz) ... where do I start?

It seems like with Middle Creek being a "propagation" management area for other wildlife and birds makes it a natural fit for Wild Pheasant stocking. Locals tell me there are a very limited number of wild birds in the protected management area, but that is unconfirmed.

Middle Creek is 6000 acres.

http://www.pgc.pa.gov/InformationRe...eCreekWildlifeManagementArea/Pages/Signs.aspx
 
I suggested Bradford County for a future WPRA and what I was told is that a PF chapter needed to be formed first. This was a while back and I believe the program is changing but that would be the first thing I would suggest. Contact the PF biologist for this area to learn more on how to go about it if your interested.
 
The Susquehanna Valley Chapter of PF cover Lancaster, Adams, York and Dauphin counties. Most of our active members are in York and Adams county. We have not discussed doing a WPRA in Middle Creek. I'm not sure what is involved with a WPRA and I don't know if our chapter could support one now.

I am the current president of the chapter and if you want to be put on my email list just let me know.
 
Back
Top