Woodsy Walk-ups
Sitting in a chair that swivels, Rachell Rottman could be on a computer, writing her latest Facebook post.
Or the eighth grade student at Karns City High School might be in a treestand on her family's property in Chicora, scanning the landscape for signs of deer.
“I like (hunting in) my grandpa's treestand ... because he has chicken nuggets and kielbasi,” she said.
Rachell's grandfather, Rich Rottman, built the stand on a free-standing frame: high enough for a treetop view and large enough to serve as a carport for his four-wheeler down below.
Propane heat and windows that close help on long, cold days.
“We go to the woods at 6:30, and it's still dark. We stay til 5 o'clock,” said Rachell's father Randy, who built his own stand nearby.
Unlike his father's 6-by-6 box, Randy Rottman's is shaped like a triangle mounted atop three telephone poles.
“I used all screws because nails pull out,” said Randy, who submerged the posts in 3-foot holes and secured them with cement.
Though he didn't use real windows, Randy's snug shelter was built with Plexiglas panels, hinged to open and close. A hinged door in the floor accommodates a propane tank, necessary for the heater.
On hunting days, the trio can talk via walkie-talkies or phones, reporting on how things are going.
“We eat deer meat,” Randy said. “I love it. That's what I was raised on.”
Across the county in Cherry Township, husband and wife team Terry and Jean Mershimer also use walkie-talkies to communicate.On private land not far from their home, Jean hunts from a cozy 3-by-5 walk-up, kept warm by a propane heater that also can heat up a sandwich.But she doesn't use much propane: Her treestand is fashioned from the insulated walls of a commercial, walk-in cooler. And if the heat gets sweltering, Jean can retreat to the deck.“We do go out and look for deer,” said Jean, 53, who works as a secretary at Lifesteps.From inside, she also can watch for deer through recycled trailer windows — installed to be at eye level whether she's standing or seated on a stool. To adjust the windows' opening, she tugs on a length of picture wire strung from outside through a hole.A short distance away, Terry Mershimer also hunts from a shelter: a 6-by-6 portable stand he built on top of a trailer.
“I call it a deer stand. She calls it a deer hut,” said Terry, who tows the stand with a four-wheeler.Hunting on the property since 1988, the 56-year-old fabrication shop foreman decided to build the stand largely for safety, since an accident left him with neck and foot issues that hinder his ability to climb.But creature comforts didn't end there: Along with propane heat, electricity and a swivel chair from Jean's old van, Terry created a urinal by affixing a large funnel to the wall, then attaching it to a garden hose that runs outside.The windows, recycled from a neighbor's house, open upward to keep out the rain.Like many hunters, the Mershimers' shelters make it easy to hunt all day and shield against ticks in balmy weather.
Scott Wissinger doesn't always hunt from his treestand near his home in Perry Township, Clarion County, but if push came to shove, he could live there.A light switch at the foot of the stairs allows for a safe trip topside, where a sliding glass door offers an ample view from inside the approximately 14- by 14-foot structure.And never mind if the armchairs are taken. A counter built along one wall nestles against four barstools, making a place for those more interested in the refrigerator, microwave, toaster oven or coffee pot.Ruffled curtains cover the windows. A sturdy outhouse stands outside.“I let my buddy hunt here last year. I had to wake him up,” said Wissinger, 49, who works for a Slippery Rock car dealer.Always an avid hunter, Wissinger and his wife Tiffany were looking for a house with acreage three years ago, when they happened upon their log home, which came with the custom treestand on site.
“It's a plus, really,” he said, explaining the stand had been built for senior citizens. On the first day of hunting, Wissinger perpetuates that use, offering the stand to his 70-year-old stepfather and his friends.Wissinger was accustomed to hunting from a climbing stand at his camp in Jefferson County — which he still uses — but sometimes the backyard comfort is nice. Especially on weekdays when he wants to hunt after work.“I hunted out in the climbing stands all my life,” he said, defending himself against good-natured flack over using the upscale stand.“Everybody says ‘That's not hunting. That's not hunting,' but I did my time,” he said.“We have an antenna. I want to rough it some. I don't bring the TV out.”
