thruthevitals, Forget the hype regarding breeding dates, population balance, etc! Hunt all day if you can...your odds increase proportional to the time you spend in the woods!!! Pick a spot around or between bedding areas and wait them out!! Bucks will be cruising all day and does will be out feeding up for the up-coming winter!

As for treestand choices, if you can only choose one, I'd go with an ultra-lite climber. My favorite is an old beat up Loggy Bayou. Personally, I have a dozen hang-ons, three climbers, and a system similar to the Lone Wolf. None fill the bill for all purposes. Climbers can be loud to set up, so can the Lone Wolf systems, this makes them impossible to set up near where the deer are currently! Hang-ons are perfect for bedding area set-ups but will ultimately get stolen on public land! Tough choices but will end up being personal decisions! Hunt with what you feel confident with! Try out as many as possible!