One of the biggest mistakes I have made is not being prepared. I try to visualize the two or three most difficult ways a buck could possibly come in to my set up and how I would try to get off a shot. Before I started doing this it cost me a big buck as I didnt think to turn around in the stand to shoot around the tree before it was too late. This year, the buck I shot took one of those 'difficult' routes, and the results were different.