I posted this in another section about getting busted from behind but thought it my be relevant to this question also. I shot my biggest deer ever this year at about 13 ft sitting just high enough above the thick understory with only 3 shooting lanes.
Getting busted from time to time is all part of the game. You learn new things each time. If we were all perfect at setting up there would be no deer left to hunt!
I usually try to set up in trees that provide as much cover as possible(i.e-double trucked, trees with cedars next to them, set up amongst the branches of trees that allow movement, sometimes being up high is not always the answer. Setting low with a lot of brush and over growth to hide your outline with sometimes just a couple of lanes, is better than standing out like a sore thumb high in a tree, etc.) This year I used 2 squirrel steps set about 6-8 inches higher than my platform or one stick depending what I was using. It allows you to straddle the tree and keep your body close to the trunk while being extremely comfortable plus allowing you to slightly step down onto you platform with less movement and you are able to use them to maneuver more easily around the tree if necessary. Good luck. Hope this helps!!!
This buck was shot at 7 yards and never knew I was there. Dropped less than 20 yards away!