I have watched many a buck drop a cookie right in front of me and it almost always is regular roundish pellets,or puckies as I like to callem.

My experience with the clumped together mass,especially if it is alot of plies close by is you have stumbled upon a bedding area. This clumping will result after the deer has been bedded down awhile. Doe and buck will look this way.

Could be why you have not seen a deer yet. Back off that area a bit and get outta his bedroom...