Temperature drives urgency
A whitetail in a winter coat doesn't want to move on a 70° October afternoon. A sudden drop of 10–15° below the seasonal average puts deer on their feet and headed to food earlier. Late season, the coldest days push deer to high-energy food sources in daylight.
Wind decides where you can sit
A mature buck will almost always travel with the wind in his favor. Every stand has winds that work and winds that don't, so write them down. Don't forget your entry and exit routes: a perfect stand is worthless if you blow deer out of their beds getting to it.
Thermals
In hilly and lowland country, air rises as it warms in the morning and sinks as it cools in the evening. Plan morning sits above where deer are and evening sits below, so your scent rides the thermals away from where deer are moving.