You're right. You absolutely can't kill a deer if you're hunting too far away from where they are . . . or will be.

The question is, what separates a 30% stand from the 85% stand?

Everyone knows to look for deer sign as a starting point. Trails, feeding areas, trail intersections, scrapes, rubs, droppings, bedding areas, etc are ALL part of the puzzle and most hunters are piecing these together to pick a good location. But what factors are ones that really tilt the odds in your favor?

I don't know about everyone else on here but it is hard to find good stands. 9/10 the best stand is not the stand with the most deer sign. If a trail has lots of traffic I will NOT sit on that trail, that is mostly a doe trail. If I can barely see a trail in thick cover, thats the trail I'm going to hunt. Scrap hunting in my opinion is a joke. Rub hunting is a good idea at the right time, too many people hunt rubs to late in the season. It is hard to find a perfect stand, I have only found one in a long time of hunting. A perfect stand can be hunted everyday.

Rack I agree, All these products are over rated, I have taken many deer in tide washed hunting pants and a Red Plaided shrit. Taken some in Tide washed blue Jeans too.

It is more important to be in the correct place at the correct time. Watch the wind, and you should be sucessful, reguardless of what you have on...

Wouldn't you say that stand placement depends in large part to wind direction along with sign? For example I have several stand sites, but depending on the wind direction and thermals of the time of my hunt, I opt for a stand site that gives me the best chance of not being detected by smell. Even though I know a bruiser buck is frequenting an area, I feel its best to NOT hunt a site when the wind is against me. Due to the terrain, area of cover, direction of travel.....being able to have options for stand sites is not always available.

So I guess I am placing stand placement according to scent by using the wind, and still being in a good travel area as more important to me.[8D]

I think camo is extremely important. You want to look goood in those post kill pics.[8D]
I agree that there are a ton of uneccessary products on the market today.
But, from my experience, a good camoflauge can make the difference between taking home the trophy and eating tag soup. Like others have said, every situation is different.

The heck with stand placement, camo, and scent control,.....what really matters is the LACES. Thats how you kill big deer....[8D][8D]

Rack I would have to agree with you, arrowed my trophy while I was wearing blaze during gun season. Its being in the right spot at the right time.

Hey guys do not forget a little luck too.