1) Replace the clip pins with a nut and bolt. It keeps the ladder from shifting at all and making any noise climbing up and down. The clips work, but don't make a nice tight fit.
2) Be sure you step on the bottom rung so it settles into the ground really well...that also helps with any creek/clank sounds when you climb up. Sometimes the ladder can sink into the ground and hang up on a root causing the whole ladder to be unstable and shift while climbing, so bring an ax just in case you have to cut that out. This also helps keep the ladder from swinging while you ratchet up top.
3) The animals can still make you out easily if you move and don't have branches to give you some cover, so don't take too much comfort in being high above....still need to keep your movement to a minimum.
4) You can pee off the stand (don't hit the ladder that you have to climb down!). I've done this, then worry that it might scare the deer away, and later had deer walk by later and smell it, and move on. They don't know what it means...
Good luck!
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