sounds like a bedding area - find the closest high quality food source and work your way back towards the thicket. You won't like want to hunt the thicket itself, hopefully you'll find good rubs/ and or scrapes in route to the feeding area.

Once the pre-rut is in - in your area, I'd concentrate on the area generally downwind of the thick area. The bucks will likely be scent checking the thicket in this manner - its just about as hard for them to locate receptive does in a thick area - as it is for you - they rely on their nose.

Good luck