Well if your buddy has been hunting there for many years and is shooting deer I would have to say follow his advice.

Of course the time proven stuff needs to be followed to increase your chance of getting a deer or maybe dumb luck might happen.

Pay attention to scent and wind direction.

Be absolutely as quiet as possible at all times.

Keep movement to a minimum and if you need to move do it as slowly as possible.

Don't just look for a whole deer. If a deer comes into sight you will probably see it. Look for movement - any movement. Then figure out what it is. Bird? Squirrel? Leaf? (I generally don't focus on open areas. I look into the woods where I think deer will come from and look for movement inside there.)

And listen.