BELLEFONTE – Hunters interested in harvesting buck or doe from the grounds of the State Correctional Institution at Rockview during the 2009 season will have the opportunity to do so through a lottery system, according to Frank Tennis, the prison’s superintendent.
The prison will open some areas of its property for hunting on Dec. 8 and 9.
The Department of Corrections and the Pennsylvania Game Commission are coordinating the hunt, with the commission enforcing game and wildlife laws on the property.
Hunters will be permitted to shoot buck or doe, providing they possess the appropriate Pennsylvania hunting license and a valid doe license for Section 4D. Six-hundred hunters will be chosen by lottery and designated to hunt on one of the two days, meaning 300 different hunters will be permitted on grounds each day.
Individuals must send a written request, including name, address, phone number, 2009 hunting license number and 2009 doe tag number, to the State Correctional Institution at Rockview, ATTN: 2009 HUNT, Box A, Bellefonte, PA 16823.
Requests must be received by Nov. 6. The prison will accept requests with multiple names. Each name received will be designated a number, and the numbers will be drawn by lottery. The prison will notify those who have been selected and will provide the necessary information on times, checkpoints and rules of the hunt.
The Game Commission will have wildlife conservation officers patrolling the property to monitor hunters’ activities and enforce game laws. There also will be prison officers patrolling the grounds to enforce security regulations.
Questions may be directed to the institution at 814-355-4874.
