The Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area, a highly popular natural area destination for everyone from birdwatchers to hikers to hunters, is being considered for closure because of funding concerns, the Pennsylvania Game Commission says.

Middle Creek is a 6,254-acre complex of woods, ponds, managed fields and a 500-acre lake straddling the Lancaster-Lebanon county line. It is among Lancaster County's most popular attractions.

The Game Commission says it costs about $1 million a year to run Middle Creek.

The possibility of a closure was revealed in the Game Commission’s annual report to the General Assembly on Wednesday.

R. Matthew Hough, the Game Commission’s executive director, told the House Game and Fisheries Committee that the agency was reeling from the legislature’s ongoing refusal to allow hunting license fees to be increased.

Hunting licenses provide the Game Commission with its main source of revenue. There has not been a license fee increase since 1999.

In addition, revenue from natural gas leases has declined drastically over the last year.

Legislators, who have to sign off on any license hikes, have been critical over the Game Commission’s deer-management policies and have cited hunter dissatisfaction with the agency.

“Without additional revenues in the near future, we will have to take even greater steps at reducing expenditures,” Hough told legislators.

“Some of the proposals under consideration include closing facilities such as the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area, shooting ranges on game lands, and our Howard Nursery, and substantially reducing the pheasant-stocking program.”

Game Commission spokesman Travis Lau said Thursday of the possible Middle Creek closure: "Everything is very preliminary here, but we are taking a close look at all facilities like Middle Creek that take a lot of manpower and generally cost a lot to operate and maintain.

"There are many levels of cutbacks being talked about for such facilities. Closing the entire facility would be a possibility at the extreme end of the spectrum. It's unknown whether something so drastic would be necessary.

"We really don't want to make any cuts there if at all possible. It's a popular and highly used facility. But future budget projections and the uncertainty of whether a license fee increase will be approved demand we explore such options."

Bruce Metz, director of the Game Commission’s southeast regional office, said, “Hopefully we can get the license increase through and we don’t have to further contemplate these tough decisions.”

He said discussions on what parts of Middle Creek might be closed have not yet begun within the Game Commission.

Sign up for our newsletter Success! An email has been sent with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request.

Middle Creek was built with state taxpayer money as part of a statewide referendum and opened in 1973. Its ongoing management is by the Game Commission, which pays for its operation.

Its main purpose was to provide a vital resting stop for migrating waterfowl whose numbers at the time were worrisome. Since then, Canada geese and other species have rebounded.

In fact, the spectacle of tens of thousands of white snow geese and tundra swans is a rite of spring for many Lancaster County residents.

This week, for example, an estimated 30,000 snow geese have gathered at Middle Creek, as well as 1,700 tundra swans.

Middle Creek, with its terrain specifically managed for waterfowl and other wildlife, has become a Mecca for birdwatchers and nature lovers. Eagles have nested at the lake for years.

There is a self-guided driving tour that also is highly popular for viewing the masses of waterfowl in the spring and fall.

Others are drawn to the management area and surrounding game lands for hiking its 20 miles of trails, picnic areas, fishing in the lake, nonmotorized boating and a large visitor’s center.

The manned visitor’s center, opened in 1973, has wildlife exhibits, a summerlong public lecture series and hosts such popular events as an annual Wildlife Art Show, Wildfowl Show, the Ned Smith Art Auction and a celebration of National Hunting and Fishing Day.

No records of the number of visitors to Middle Creek are kept. But an attendant at the visitor’s center says there have been days when more than 3,000 people stopped by during the waterfowl migration.

Al Keith, an attendant at the visitor’s center, said the facility was on the verge of being closed by the Game Commission before the legislature approved the agency’s last license fee increase in 1999.

“And that didn’t seem as dire a situation as we are in now,” Keith said.

“They are digging themselves a big hole,” Stephen Mohr, a former Game Commissioner and Conoy Township supervisor, said in reaction to the Game Commission's consideration of closing Middle Creek.

“Closing Middle Creek will infuriate the nonhunters. The hunters could care less. The PGC is only attempting to divide the troops. Middle Creek was built with general revenue moneys. Our elected officials should call their bluff.”