Seems like I'm always hanging stands or doing last minute tweaks right up to start of season, and sometimes into season. Have seen deer while doing so, and still saw deer from those stands while hunting. One year I was hanging or brushing a stand in probably a week or two before season opened, and when I got down to the ground, I almost got ran over by 6 does/fawns that had ran in. They stopped sudden, and then continued on their way. Had deer, assuming some of the same ones, come by during season. Another year I made some tweaks to a stand on one side of a corn field, including brushing it and the ladder to it with some fresh cut cedar trees. I drove my truck to about 80 yards from it so I wouldn't have to drag the trees very far. Got done, drove out, changed clothes and sprayed down (can't remember if I went back to the house to shower), walked back in by that stand and continued on to another within view of that stand. Watched a 4.5 yr old?? buck walk by that stand later that afternoon. He stopped and sniffed around that area and then continued on his way, ducking off into the brush. Later that evening I saw one of the bucks I was after come out of a ditch on the other side of the field to check some does. I'm fairly sure he was in the area when I drove in and tweaked the one stand, but I don't really know for sure.
Anyway, I'd hang or tweak stands when possible and then have fun hunting them. I know this year I haven't got out as much to do so due to other commitments, so I'll be doing it as time allows. I also like to drive as close to the stands as possible to clear the area with a vehicle instead of me walking in. Sweat a lot less this way too, until the work begins. I think whether deer fear a change in the environment or your scent or whatever depends on if they see it as a threat. I hunt working farms, so I'm sure I get away with more than a remote block of timber with no activity...but I'm sure I don't get away with everything.
