I think that there is a lack of information here.
If it was on public hunting ground and everyone had to use a shotgun and you knew that there was going to be 1000 other people there, then getting up as high as possible would increase your chances of seeing game, would be a positive.
On the other hand, I would have to know how far can you see and how far can your shotgun shoot. If you can see 300 yards but can only shoot 50 - then getting higher would only allow the game to see you a long time before you could see and shoot it.
They do make some tree stands that converts into a buck buggy - that has wheels on it that you can use to tote your deer out.
They don't get a lot of snow in North Carolina in October and November.
If there was a lot of people around and the deer were moving on their own, I would stand on the ground and build a small ground blind to hide my actions and would place it near a natural funnel and would shoot the first legal deer that came down the trail. But then again, that is just me.