There will be no archery hunts at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area due to an outbreak of hemorrhagic disease. i will be curious to see if the other hunts get canceled as well.

September 6, 2022
Pennsylvania Game Commission
Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area
P.O. Box 110
Kleinfeltersville, PA 17039
Dear Middle Creek Archery Hunt Applicant,
It is with regret that the Pennsylvania Game Commission will be cancelling this year’s controlled
archery hunt at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area. The cancellation of this opportunity is
due to an outbreak of hemorrhagic disease across the Southeast Region, including at Middle
Creek.
Hemorrhagic disease is a common infectious disease of white-tailed deer in the eastern United
States and can cause a significant number of deaths during an outbreak. The viruses that cause
the disease, Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease Virus and Bluetongue Virus, are passed from
infected to uninfected deer by biting flies or midges from the genus Culicoides. Outbreaks
usually occur when deer congregate at water sources during the driest part of late summer and
early fall when seasonal midge activity is at its peak. Outbreaks generally end when the first
hard frosts kill the midges.
While the outcome of this particular hemorrhagic disease outbreak is unknown, the potential
for a large number of deer to die remains high. Cancelling this hunt will enable us to assess the
total impact of this outbreak on the Middle Creek deer population and ensure that hunters
continue to have quality hunting experiences in the future. The future of the Middle Creek’s
late season flintlock/archery hunt is still pending. We appreciate your patience and
understanding as we continue to navigate through this hemorrhagic disease outbreak.
For more information on hemorrhagic disease, please visit the Pennsylvania Game
Commission’s website here or see the Hemorrhagic Disease fact sheet from the Penn Vet
Wildlife Futures Program.