For myself its dedication. The time i spend scouting and patterning especially elk is just rediculous but it pays off. Slept over in the stand opening day with a broken hand and an Iv needle in the other but stuck it out and got my elk. You spend enough time out there things will go your way eventually.

Number of hours spent in the woods. If im in a tree 8 hours a day 5 days a week, i've surely got a better chance of a nice buck walking thru my shooting lane if i only go out two or three times a week.

hmm...SCOUTING all year if im stand hunting......when driving with the buddys i owe it to my "deer dogs)(drivers) and the farmer...my buddys uncle...hes our drive leader..been doing the drives for YEARS....and got htem down pat....and will get the deer by the shooters ALOT of the times.....but when im stand hunting its my scouting ALL year.....soon as flintlock ends in january im still out there finding where the deer are by finding their winter trails......spring im out looking for sheds and winter deaths and seeing whats left after hunting season...summer im looking to see whats around and see how the deer are doing and how the fawn crop is.....fall im scouting hard core....deer season im still scouting for a BETTER spot i overlooked....or areas they are using to get away from hunters....and im always practicing with my deer guns....groundhogs make a mighty nice target.....

It's time in the wood's scouting your spot's and time when season is in and sent control that my top two

i think the one thing that contributes to everybody's success is attitude. If you have the right attitude, then everything else will fall in line, but without the right attitude towards something, it doesnt get done right.

dedication. if you keep going it will pay off. you cant kill anything at the crib

Location, Location, Location. You cant kill big bucks on a regular basis if your area dosent produce them.

I think these guys say it best, you need a combination of both of these things.

Self discipline! All the rest are all augmented by it (except location)
!

Luck.