First off, I know it's a little late to be moving stands this close to opening day. However it is what I am just getting done doing. After sitting in my stand last year I noticed I was not in the right location. Everything was to my west and a little far for a good shot with my recurve. While moving the stand I was considering taking a section of the ladder out and getting closer to the ground for a more level shot so to speak. My question is for you that do this type of hunting do you use a cover scent or what to help out?

cut cedar limbs and zip tie them to your stand to hide it and yourself.
They stay green for a long time, also provide a little cover scent. I do this to all my stands.
Helps hide movement also.

The best deer hunter I know will pass a shot and come back the next night and be three trees over for a better shot...

Play the shadows and have good cover behind you.

This, and you'll never fool a deer's nose. Pay attention to the wind/thermals, especially the lower you get.

The stand will be about 8 ft off the ground. Right now I have it set so the tree is behind me on the side of the deer trail.

When I lived in Indiana and bowhunted public ground pressured deer, I noticed they looked up. If I had to choose between a low tree stand or ground level I would pick a ground blind because you can hide better. But as others have said you have to play the wind and have several locations available.

My two main stands are 6 to 8 foot off the ground. I use no scents or cover scents, trail cams, food plots. Just me in the woods and camouflage clothes Have shot more than I can remember with my recurves and compound. Hold still. Deer hate movement at close range. When i was young I would still hunt with my recurve.

I have used and have had great results using nose jammer. I also use Evercalm deer scents around the base of my tree with very good results as well.

I hunted from ground blinds after giving up climbing, lol
Just a free resin patio chair where it should be...was rifle hunting but killed a bunch under 25 yards, no scents, no camo, just worked the wind...if I needed to move it I did, stuck it behind a tree or rock wall...never a problem.

I only hunt stands when the wind s right, cannot fool a deer's nose. As per height it depends on cover. Shot a couple really good bucks at 8 feet but in a clump of basswoods or had white oak leaf cover. I really enjoy ground blinds today, shot a 13 point at 17 yards last year, and had a 135" 8 point make a scrape at 4 yards. All with stick and string.

The condition determines how high we hunt. Some places you cant see 10' on the ground abut you cant see any further 20' in a tree. The sweet spot may be 5' to 8' with a few shot openings out to 20 to 25 yards if lucky.

Other times 20' up or on the ground my be the best option. Geting stuck with one method really limits your options. Watching the wind and thermals if in hills helps always regardless but its hard to 100% beet a deers nose. Watching how you get in and out of your area.

I often leave sweaty clothing in my deer stand. The deer get used to it and pay me no attention either, when I take it's place.

Keith

The higher up you are the smaller your target gets to be!!!

my best hunting was in very heavy cover just sitting up an uprooted tree stump. no blind of any kind.
I cut 3 shooting lanes about 6-8 ft wide, just clear enough to see what is moving thru and to shoot.
No cover scent.
wind direction matters.

Tho I have had deer wind me, turn back and run away and comeback withing minutes only to do the same.
They finally jogged thru the scent path and kept going.
They really must of wanted to get where they were headed and felt going a longer route was not worth it.

I think a deer scenting you is not a black and white thing.
There is a grey area where they may catch a wiff and its gone and it just alerts them.
Think of gusty wind conditions with wind directions changing constantly.

Once u start getting below 12 feet it starts becoming easier for deer to pic u out especially movement. Obviously the more vegetation around the better you are on them not picking out your movement. I dont really count on elevation keeping my scent away from deer. I try my hardest to keep them up wind of me. I like hunting big bucks and they are much easier to kill when the deer herd doesn't know they are being hunted. I dont like them to smell where i walked in or see or hear me walking in or out of my stand. There is a reason the most likely chance of killing a big buck is the first time u hunt a stand.

And i dont believe the kill zone is any smaller the higher up u get. Its basically just as wide as it is high

Got 9 ladder stands I put on 3 farms Never EVER have used more than 2 sections of ladder. Location is most important thing. Like mentioned watch the wind. I’ve killed 5 decent bucks I had to wait on correct wind direction before attempting to kill them. Had a beautiful deer coming thru like clockwork 8 am and 4 pm but had to wait until 5th day of season to use that stand. Killed him 15 minutes after after legal shooting light. Stand is 8 ft up in tree behind him in second pic.

Keep i mind rifle hunting usually involves a little less movement to take the shot than bowhunting

Here's my buddy's version of a low stand. Drilled a vertical hole into the trunk and stuck his boat seat into it. Can rotate around. Last season was the first time he tried this. Killed a nice buck. This year he has plans for a blind that will encircle the chair. He's got a bit of Red Green in him me thinks.

… wind swirls so much here you got to get 20 + up in close quarters if there ain’t a front coming in