Have you killed the majority of your "good" bucks in? Also throw in the time of year/day if you feel like it. For me, it's clear-cuts, food plots and right of ways (gaslines/powerlines). Also the occasional road crossing. I normally kill early season or the rut. I know it can be an effective time to hunt, but I don't usually kill anything after 11:30 or before 4:30.

Around Christmas on through the end of January. Brushy, roads, clear cuts and food plots.

Depending on time of season. Right now wherever I see the most property and ladies near some thick stuff.

Acorns near cover in early season.
Clearcuts, thick trails and even food plots as the rut gets going. Peak rut I don’t hardly fool with honestly. I’m more successful in the cruising phase before they start peak breeding.

My best place ever was about 20 acres of very mature mixed oak/pines I cut the pine out of because of beetles. That opened up the ground and it exploded in new growth where the pines were removed but remained open around the Oaks. Also had a creek crossing on one of the heaviest used trails I have found on my place. From deer level it was thick as hell but from 21 feet up I could see everything. Killed two of my last 3 bucks in there and saw over a dozen chases, two of them were pretty much the most fun I have ever had hunting. I spent almost twenty minutes watching a buck chase a doe all through the area before he stopped somewhere I had a clean shot. When I killed him I could not even climb down I was shaking so bad, which is not the norm for me. Unfortunately a bad windstorm knocked over several Oaks blocking the trail and they moved about 150 yards south in a place much harder to hunt. Restoring that area to what it was is next on my to do list, just have not had the time in the last couple of years. On a side note I found that place because of one of the best bits of info ever shared with me, which is when you have a clear cut watch carefully the trails the bucks are using before it grows up and set up accordingly. As the pines grow they will keep using the same trail.

In the big pen by the protein feeder

Jan-feb rut on all big deer - crossing road coming out of clearcut was my biggest - lov clearcuts then fields - wish i had a power-line to hunt - use to hav awesome creek crossing to hunt - one of my fav all time stands

Select cut pines bordering hardwoods or a clearcut.