Well a couple things to remember when chosing a stand and you want bucks.

First off if you hunt food or open areas...try and get back a little bit. While does will move in these areas during daylight, bucks tend to hang back in the shadows and wait for darkness to feed and move in the open. Sure during rut it can be different, but the does walking by have to be hot...so it is hot or not. When i hunt food or meadows, especially with additional hunting pressure...I set up in the funnels, points, travel corridors but back from the fields edge, sometimes 100 maybe 200 yards or further. Another spot I have found productive on food sources is they usual have a trail that is just inside the bushline, it allows them to see the field, but nothing in the field to see them...this can usually be found in just from the edge of the food source. A bit of a double edge sword with approach direction and wind though...so make sure you know where the beds are and the wind direction.

Also remember bucks tend to travel the less chosen path often paralell or intersecting with the heavy game trail. Look to place your stand at intersections or on these sideline paths. Most times if you tree stand hunt you'll be able to still see the heavy trail but focus on the smaller path.

If you hunt in ridges, the bucks tend to stay on the low side, while does tend to travel high to low. So you have to gear for the buck not the doe.

Set up in rublines, these are areas that both does but prodominantly bucks travel in. This type of transition area is my baby, when coupled with timber ridges, that act as funnels or bottle necks for deer movement both in rut and out of rut.

Well patience is always a key and keep as still as possible. You can try scents, call and rattling but all these things only work with the right conditions and ultimately location. You'll be hard pressed to haul a buck out to field with a set of horns and some scent...they maybe by using the lower head...but ain't that stupid (as some would like you to believe during rut) However use these in the rut or prerut and in the proper location where deer feel comfortable to move during daylight and you have a deadly combo.

big Sky,

If you know where the deer are...get in the thick stuff. Guess why they are their, cause nobody else is? I hunt the sticks even with the pressure low and when it gets hot with hunters my area is even better. Big deer don't really like attention, so one of the keys is getting dirty. Many hunters won't do this, which is good news for the guy that does. Make their haven your heaven!!!