This is my position on it:

Skill is working hard to pattern your deer, find the foods sources, rutting activity, sign, etc., even to the point of finding a specific deer( though I don' t take it that far). Then it' s making the educated guess of possible ambush locations based on terrain, hunting pressure, food, hot does, etc. Now that you' ve ID' d those spots....

Luck is timing it right and being at the right place at the right time when that bruiser finally shows up. You increase your odds with skill, but timing and some good luck do have their place in hunting. Over time, though greenhorns succeed, the skilled hunter will tilt the odds in his favor.

But bad luck has it' s place in the experience, too!

I wonder how many bucks I' ve missed because I turned my head and he walked behind me; or I had to work at the last minute and couldn' t be there; or I chose one stand to sit in and the buck went to the other one; or the buck decided to bed down on the path I walked in on and I spooked him to a greenhorn road hunter; Or a buck that stands behing the tree until dark, then walks under me!

Isn' t deer hunting a wonderful experience. good or bad?