​Mill Creek Sportsmen's Association in Lancaster, PA

1877 Windy Hill Road - Lancaster, PA 17602 - Phone: 717-393-6416

IF YOU WISH TO BE A SPONSOR FOR OUR YOUTH OUTREACH PROGRAMS CLICK THE BUTTON ABOVE

Lancaster County Youth Conservation Student - Brianna

Dear Mr. Smith,

I truly appreciate the opportunity to attend Conservation School. I really learned allot of interesting things. Overall I really honestly liked this school. My favorite activities were shooting the guns, learning survival, orienteering skills, and meeting new people. If I had the chance to come back I would. I really hope I can come back to be a counselor several years on going.

Members - Brian and wife Kristin

Recently, I had purchased a .22 Berretta Neos for my wife for her birthday (yes she loved it) and we began shooting together. While I believe most women would have jumped at the chance to wait in line at an amusement park in 90+ degrees she decided to go the range with myself and another member from MCSA to practice on the pistol range. After "several" hours of shooting, picking up Brass, we came to the conclusion that the Contained Range Area is our new landlocked PA Beach area. I believe it went something like this, while standing in

WOW, That sure is valuable! - Member Harry

I was born in a small town in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania the year 1954. My father owned a store on Chester Avenue located in a blue-collar neighborhood. It was a very busy street with large row homes and a storefront attached to every 3rd or 4th home on the block. I lived in a house with a storefront. On my block there was a paint store, food

Basic Pistol Class Testimonial - Bob Buzzendore - Columbia, PA

Art,
Thanks to you, Herm and Dave for an enjoyable class last weekend. It was obvious all of you know firearms. I was just starting to shoot pistols in 2003 and I had taken this class in November 2003 in York County but unfortunately, I had not shot much since then. This class was substantially better, it had targets so I could see my results, and it gave me more feedback and confidence. I look

row boat, long poles, and nets dragging the bottom with no luck. So I figured I would give it a try, I hooked on the biggest fishing lure I had with me and gave it the cast of a life time. After a few minutes "I HAD SOMETHING" - could it be the rod and reel? I slowly reeled in my catch to find that indeed it was my rod and reel, no way! I picked it up and "doink - doink" there was a fish tugging on it! Yes, it sounds like one of those fish stories, but we have witnesses. I reeled it in and there was the big old fish still attached who almost took my nice rod and reel combo to the murky depths of the pond.

Please submit your story for a chance to have it posted and be entered in the "Best Story Contest".
We know you love talking about the one that got away! Email us your story and we'll review it for posting.

Members - Edgar and Father Jay

One story I remember well, is when I was about twelve years old. It was my first real Deer hunt and it was about -20 below 0 and the wind chill made it even worse! My father had taken me on a two-hour 4x4 ride in a hunter packed full size Ford Bronco into the mountains of Mifflin County. I believe we left at 3AM, this was a young boys adventure of a lifetime in my mind. Once we finally reached the entry area and placed all the other hunters we proceeded to his "spot", in  

forward to getting out on the range and taking other classes with you. I would be glad to recommend your class to others.

STORIES

Members - Brian and Daughter Ashley

One day during a Fishing Derby with my daughter we were using two rods each for better chances at hooking "the BIG one". While assisting my daughter with something, my one rod got a huge strike! Down the bank and into the water it went dragging the other rod along with it! We were able to save the one rod but the other with the fish on it went deep into the water. I tried to toss her in to get it but she wanted no parts of that, at all. So we attempted to find the rod using a

the sand at the contained range. "Honey, now this is what I call a day at the beach, sand, sun, targets, and fun!" You go Annie Oakley! She even beat us a few times in the bulls-eye contest! We even joked about a picture with her, a beach umbrella in the sand, targets, pistol, and a tall cold umbrella drink! Now that is what we like to call "LIVING THE DREAM!"

I also recommend that you sponsor another teenager so that they have the experience that I did during the school. I believe that they would really enjoy the time that they would have at the school. I want to thank you for sponsoring me. I really learned allot of things that are really good to know at our age. Thank you again, Brianna

store, doctor’s office and my father’s business. In those days, no one knew what a credit or debit card was. Therefore business transactions were done mainly with cash and or checks. At that time, the average worker finished work at 4 or 5 PM daily. Banks also were not located on every corner and closed at 3PM. Seeing a need for the area’s working residents to cash paychecks and pay utility bills after the 3PM bank closing time created a great business opportunity for my father. Thus was born a check cashing, greeting card and small toy neighborhood business. The business required large amounts of cash to be on hand. The cash was kept in a safe located in the store’s basement. The safe was a 4X4X4 cube and was a dark color with a brass combination dial about five inches in diameter. To deter a possible robbery but more importantly to remain safe, a large bulletproof window with a heavy-duty door and walls was installed. Each customer would walk up to what looked like a bank teller window and conduct their business. Above the window on two pegs was a chrome plated 3 inch barrel, 5 shot U S Revolver in cal .38 S&W. The gun was out of the customer’s view. The purpose of the gun’s inconspicuous location was if the words “stick ‘em up” were ever heard, you raise hands up creating the easiest way to have a gun handy and not make the robber nervous with a lot of body movement as you placed your hands around the handle ready to blast the robber in the back as he leaves the store. In the1950’s, our justice system would certainly favor a business owner for defending their life and property if they were to blast the robber on the way out. (Try shooting the bad guy in the back today). Fortunately the store was never robbed. My father’s store was sold in 1959. A few years later, my father learned the new owner was killed in a robbery but no details were given. Being only 5 years old, I remember playing in the store and looking out the bulletproof window watching the customers come up to the window cashing their checks, buying greeting cards and small toys for their families. This story is from my memory as a 5-year-old child with my father filling in some of the gaps. The gun remains in my family along with this story to be passed on. The gun has minimal collector value. But how does a person put a value on a piece of family history that has been around for 3 generations?

Lancaster County Youth Conservation Student - Julia

Dear Mr. Smith,

I very much appreciate the opportunity to attend the Conservation School. I learned allot during my week and enjoyed doing all the activities. My favorite activities were shooting and Archery. We learned about vegetation, wildlife, safety, conservation and did lots of hands-on activities. We went on field trips and learned about animals, and conserving ways to help them.

between two ridges with a babbling brook in the middle. Curious, as I always was I asked "why" and of course, first I heard, "shhhhhh be quite now", he then proceeded to explain in a almost silent whisper how the Deer would do a figure eight around these two ridges normally all day long and stop for a drink at this babbling brook. Now I was excited, you know what I'm talking about! We sat there for hours in the dark, Deer all around us, snorting, stomping, whistling - WOW - did I have "Buck Fever"! So, when the Sun finally crested the horizon and we could see, there was nothing around but some Chipmunks playing in the fallen trees, I chuckled. Then it began to rain, sleet, and get even colder out. My hands were so cold my fingers would not bend correctly but I did not complain "that I remember" and we kept on hunting. Finally after a few Doe and more Chipmunks my father decided we would head out to meet the rest of the hunting party for lunch. On our way out we were cleaning ice off our scope covers (plastic bags and rubber bands back then) when all of a sudden, I saw two HUGE bucks running down the ridge, fighting and headed right towards us! Pulling on my fathers red and black wool hunting coat, "Daddy, Daddy - look!" he looks up, sees the two bucks and tells me to take aim, look for horns and shoot. So I lift my rifle, take aim through my scope, see tree limbs, fur, and finally huge racks. I pick one of the two and take aim on him. I aim right behind the front leg of the lead buck and squeeze my trigger, nothing happens? Safety is on! So I attempt to release the safety and it is frozen solid. "Shoot - Shoot" my father pleads! I tell him what is wrong "It's frozen" to both of our surprise, it sure was frozen. He takes my rifle and tries to release it himself, breathing on the safety, rubbing it, breathing on it and finally it releases. Handing my riflle back to me and again he says "SHOOT!" I take aim and squeeze the trigger only to hear a sluggish "thud" of the firing pin hitting the primer. My father replies, "eject it and put in another!". All the time taking aim on the second Buck mind you. I eject and load another and squeeze, "kerplunk", another mis-fire! All of a sudden BA_BOOM my father unleashes his Mauser action .308 and drops the one five point buck in his tracks, right in the middle of his full speed run! Confused by why my rifle did not fire, we collected the duds and burried them deep in the ground before heading off to the downed Deer. We proceeded to talk about the entire incident while we field dressed the Deer, and that is a story within itself.

SPEAKERS:

The club is looking for speakers to address the membership during member meetings. We would like speakers to discuss archery, trapping, deer hunting, fishing any and all aspects of being a sportsman. If anyone has any suggestions regarding speakers or subjects, or would like to speak themselves please contact the clubhouse at 717-393-6416 or by mail or email, see the Contact Ustab on this website for information.

Conservation School was a great experience that I would recommend to anyone. Please consider sponsoring more students next year. I had allot of fun learning, doing activities and having a great time with the counselors. Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to enjoy Conservation School. Julia