Let's say that deer approach and pass your stand on the west side at about 15 to 20 yards and are travelling south to north. How do you place your stand? Would you place it on the north side of the tree, the south side, the west side? Angling toward the trail??? I was sitting in mine today and wondered what others do.

For what wind direction?

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Wind would be from the south

There's a few factors here. Wind direction should be the first. It's impossible to be only one direction but if that's your preferred or needed wind you need to consider other options. Are the deer coming above you down, are they coming up from down, does the cover force a turn, how is the cover, what kinda tree?
After you ensure they can't smell you you next gotta make sure they can't see you and you can shoot. It's that simple and there's no exact answer, it depends on that set up

For that specific scenario I would setup on the North side of the tree for RH shot.  I'll be hunting a stand this morning with this exact plan in mind...  Hopefully the deer follow the script.  Just outside of a thicket so I feel I am better concealed by the the tree trunk.  Mature deer around here are so tuned in and spend as much time looking up as they do down!  The tree trunk also keeps me shaded from the sun and helps hide my movement.  Shot will be after the deer has passed. 

For a right hand shooter, I'd place stand on northeast side of the tree. This allows you shoot deer passing or quartering away, but also allows you to watch the backtrail without a lot of movement.

I would be on the North East side also. I like to be behind the trunk as much as possible and get a quartering away shot after they pass me if possible. I never really let wind direction determine which side of the tree I'm on, I  select on concealment and shootability mostly.  In my compound days I always sat up on the back side of the tree from the expected travel direction. Trad equipment make this a little more difficult. It does no good to be in a spot where you can't maximize your shooting opportunities regardless of sun or wind! The right tree makes all the difference in the world.

I would place the stand facing NNE for a right handed shooter.  Doing so allows the tree to act as cover for you to stand and draw your bow.  Also it keeps your string elbow from bumping into the tree and allows you to look over your right shoulder to see the animals approaching. 

At my favorite stand that's been hunted for longer and been most productive for years, I've had my stand in at least six different trees around the perimeter and killed deer from all of them.  Placement has always been the ideal selection, after having the whole off season to "second guess" and ponder the issue.  With the way the wind swirls, eddies and reverses direction in the Blue Ridge there is only one hard and fast rule that I can offer...no matter your first choice the deer will always enter by the "runner up" tree that you sat in last year, lol.  This rule will hold true even if you move it every week!

Quote from: GDPolk on November 18, 2018, 08:35:25 AM
I would place the stand facing NNE for a right handed shooter.  Doing so allows the tree to act as cover for you to stand and draw your bow.  Also it keeps your string elbow from bumping into the tree and allows you to look over your right shoulder to see the animals approaching.

THIS

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I've tried just about every angle relative to the trail and still always get busted by does it seems. I feel like most of the bucks that I've killed it wouldn't have mattered which direction I had my stand facing and I still would have killed them. Granted they were taken during the rut when I don't think they care about much other than one thing.

I'd set up on the N to NE side of the tree, hoping to catch them as they pass by. As others have mentioned there are other variables but most importantly the deer never read the rule book and don't do what they are supposed to!

Excellent thread.  Excellent question.

I lost two deer this year for poor planning, one from a tree and another from an easily implemented ground blind created in the goldenrod. 

I particularly like the answers for NE or NNE placement (for a right handed shooter).

Pick your tree by the wind. Rt. hand shooter keep deer trail off your left rear shoulder. Opposite for lefty. More versatility for shot with less body movement. If they come from backside sit tight till they pass and you have primo quarter away. Coming from front you can watch and set up for the quarter away when they ain't looking.