Most of the park property is open to hunting, including the majority of Yellow Creek Lake. The lake’s beach and swimming area -- which are off limits to hunters -- have generated complaints goose droppings from swimmers and sunbathers. That’s good news for waterfowlers. A good number of geese call the park home.

Gas-powered boats with motors up to 20 horsepower are permitted on Yellow Creek Lake. There are boat ramps off Route 259 and Campground Road on the south side of the lake, and off South Harmony Road on the north shore.

Try putting in at the Campground Road launch, which is in a part of the lake known as Grampap’s Cove. The waterfowl observatory overlooking the cove is there for a good reason. This is a prime hangout for Canada geese. Also, head east from the same launch to the next cove, known as Gramma’s Cove. It, too, is a favored place for geese.

Goose hunters who don’t have boats, or prefer not to use them, should also check out Grampap’s and Gramma’s coves. Park on Campground Road and hike west to the lake, or park on Hoffman Road and head east.

For a map of Yellow Creek, call the park office at (724) 357-7913. For lodging information, contact the Indiana County Tourist Bureau at (724) 463-7505.

CODORUS STATE PARK
In the southern end of Pennsylvania, just a few miles north of Maryland in York County, is 3,329-acre Codorus State Park, which includes 1,275-acre Lake Marburg. About 2,900 acres of the park are open to hunting. Codorus State Park is in the Atlantic Population Zone just outside Hanover. Blooming Grove Road, which bisects the lake, is the park’s main access artery.

With 26 miles of shoreline and its proximity to Maryland’s famed Chesapeake Bay -- a well-documented Canada goose hangout -- Codorus State Park is a natural place for winter goose hunting. In fact, the park maintains 25 waterfowl blinds on the lake, which are awarded to hunters by a lottery drawing held each September. The blinds are set up in good goose-hunting spots, but visiting hunters don’t need to have access to one of them in order to hunt the lake. You can hunt anywhere.

The lake has seven boat ramps scattered around it. Boats with motors up to 20 horsepower are permitted.

A good bet for goose hunters is to launch a boat at the ramp north of Sinsheim Road. Head straight south until you go under the Route 216 bridge to get to an area known as Marburg Flats. Keep an eye out for permanent blinds in this area, but there is plenty of room for boat-bound hunters.

From the same ramp, hunters may also head south and then west down an offshoot cove toward Wildasin Flats. Cross under another Route 216 bridge to get to this secluded area, where there are more permanent blinds.

If you don’t have a boat, don’t worry. There’s room for you on Lake Marburg, too. Take Hoff Road east from Smith Station Road on the north side of the lake to the Hoff Road boat launch. Park here and walk the shoreline south to one of the points at the mouth of Mooring Cove. Set up on the very tip of one of those points.