Hmmmm, where to start? You're pretty much covered on the "what not to do" side of the equation.
For starters, unless you know your smoker can handle being left alone, keep an eye out for temps. Actual temp doesn't seem to matter all that much, but consistency of temp does. I do mine at higher temps, some do theirs at lower temps, but you really just need to be aware of what's going on in your smoker.
Secondly, cut down on the sugar on your rub if you're not a fan of the burnt bark. Lots of people on here swear by it, but I'm personally not a fan, so I try to minimize it.
Lastly, at an IT if 175˚, your meat wasn't done, at least from a pulled pork perspective. Let it ride until 185˚-190˚, then start checking every 15-20 minutes for doneness. It's done when the bone wiggles free and/or a probe (toothpick, knife tip, skewer, thermometer probe etc...) can be inserted with little to no resistance. Pork butt is pretty forgiving over a fairly wide range of temps, so a lot of folks go to 200˚-205˚ and have good luck. Point being, at 175˚ the meat is technically cooked, but the connective tissue is tightened up and hasn't yet broken down into gelatin, giving the illusion that it's hopelessly overcooked and dried out beyond all recognition. The opposite is true. The juiciness comes from the process of the connective tissue melting, and this happens long after the meat appears "done".
Good luck on the next one!!
