Smoke is a natural scent and deer are actually quite used to it in some areas. I smoke all the time in the stand and have deer (including bucks) walk directly under my stand routinely. I swear it can act as a cover scent sometimes. Now if you are hunting big woods deer that don't have close contact with humans except during hunting season, it often does in fact spook them. In the 'burbs I say "smoke up Johnny!"