I use ladder stands as decoys. Follow me on this. When I find a ladder stand or one I put up (and have killed deer out of) I will go 100+ yards upwind of the ladder stand and climb in my saddle. The deer know exactly where the ladder stands are in THEIR woods. They will check them from a distance way before they come through most times. I have killed double digit numbers of deer sneaking around to check on a ladder stand.
I figured this out when I had a ladder stand set up with a camera. Every single day between 1600-1630 a herd of does would come through, except for days I was sitting their. Then one day I paid extra attention way up the block of woods during that time. Sure enough they would walk to a clearing they could see the stand and watch. The next night (same scent control as the night before) I moved to where they had check the ladder stand from and watched. They came right to a point and a single "scout" would walk over and look up. When the ladder stand was empty she walked back to the herd and proceeded towards the ladder stand. That is when I shot the last deer in line.
Sounds like they were onto you, not necessarily the stand. idk.
I hunted a ladder stand for almost a month straight, had deer within range every hunt, passed up numerous bucks multiple times (and some were pretty nice ones) all while trying to get a specific big buck who eventually gave me an easy shot that I missed.
Just different experiences I guess.
John E tells that story about saddlehunting behind a ladder stand where his friend kept getting busted by a doe, and he got her on his first sit because she couldn’t see him behind the tree. If there is a presumption a spot has been pressured, maybe it is best to hang a platform above it on the backside and evade their suspicious eyes or to do what you do.
But I’ve never noticed any consistent skepticism towards a stand itself.