Well I find it that most of the time the winds tend to be out of the west/southwest in my area. Because of this most of my stands are facing the west downwind of my shooting lanes and into the setting sun. It really does't bother me though as I hunt mostly forest and the sun dosen't come into play too much.

As far as deer looking into the sun, I don't think it bothers them at all, I have yet to see a deer squint when looking into the sun.

In an open area it is always preferrable to have the sun at your back for the two reasons already stated: 1) you can see better 2) the deer can't see as well looking into the sun. Most of my stands can have deer come from any direction so never really comes into play, but when stalkingother big gameI always try to position myself so the sun is at my back.

I was hoping to get a tan while hunting though!

Well, at this time of year it's about a 50/50 chance the sun won't even be out. That said, I don't worry about the sun being in my face or at my back as much as I worry about where my shadow is, especially with no leaves around. If your shadow is laying on the ground around a deer and you move, you're dead. If the sun has to be in my face, I sit facing the tree and let the tree shade me. I can do that with my climber. As the sun moves I can also shimmy around the tree to stay in the shade. Maybe you're too tied down to the edge. Get a little deeper or find a double tree or something like that. The deer probably aren't going to get passed me before I shoot if I'm going to. If you sit/stand facing the tree you have to be real slow and deliberate about moving too much to play peek a boo around the tree. Also, before I sit naked I'll snip off a couple pine bows or something like that and weave into my stand for break up and cover. My API has some well placed braces etc that lend well to doing that. A couple whispy hemlocks, cedars or just pine limbs really hide you.

Pull your hat down over your eyebrows and play the wind.

I like it in my face, I tan more evenly..