I am a novice hunter so far I’ve only been skeet shooting. I would like to try deer hunting but I would like to get the take of more experienced hunters first. If you could tell others only one thing about deer hunting what would it be?

If you are trying to compare skeet shooting to deer hunting then you are way off target! Not trying to be be rude or anything to you by any means. IF you want to compare skeet shooting to hunting in any way then you should be thinking bird hunting. I started skeet shooting when I was a freshman in HS...mostly because I wanted to hone my bird hunting skills...and it helped immensely (sp?). When I started I was simply trying to improve my shooting abilities while in the dove field or hunting over my dogs for quail. It really helped me with swinging through and not 'concentrating' on the bird itself. BUT, in all actuality it really helped me overall with my shotgunning skills.....

You shoot Skeet to train for Dove, you shoot Trap to train for Quail, you shoot Sporting Clays to train for Dove, Ducks, Quail and Rabbits.

You go to the rifle range to train on Deer, Elk, Antelopes, Caribou, Bear, MooseandHogs! Practice, Practice and more Practice. From the Standing, Prone, and Sitting positions. You learn about Internal and External Ballistics, about Ammo, about Scopesabout Semi, Pump and Bolt rifles, etc,etc, etc....

It's completely different than shooting birds.

one thing might get you started but the three key things(IMO) are
1. shot placement
2. scouting
3. scent control

Those three things are what will get you deer.