I had to leave before I could mention that most of the western game animals have more acute eyesight and hearing. They are also in more open country so you can't get any closer than 200 yds most of the time.

To finish, I would say that by sitting in a stand waiting for a deer to come you are doing more of a shoot than a hunt, when compared to spot-and-stalk hunting.
Reasons:
1. Your biggest effort is put into not falling asleep on the stand.
2. The most physical activity that you will do is going to and from the stand.
3. You can't discredit long distance shooting as not hunting when we have more of a physical workout than you do -locating game, getting near game, getting a decent shot position with out spooking the game, etc.
4. Mulies, elk, and antelope all spook at distances over a mile for simple reasons as: a cough/sneeze/burp/fart, the swirling winds are MUCH worse in wide open areas and can carry your scent (even with a cover scent) over 3 miles in every direction that can cause all the game to dissapear for DAYS at a time, and to top off all of this these animals can see through the best camo when bow/muzzleloading and they spot hunter orange aat over 4 miles away.

I have had antelope spook from over 3 miles off when we ran out of brush for 15 yds. Elk have smelled us when 1 mile away. We have thought that the deer couldn't see us crouching in the tree line when they were1.5 miles off.

Have you even hunted in the west like this before? From what you have stated I am forced to say that you have not. You should know what your talking about before you put down a method of hunting. And yes I have hunted from a stand in PA, IL, IO, and VA. Personally I hate it.