I'm not much of a ground hunter unless I'm working a group of young turkeys. I used to hunt on the ground a lot when I was younger due to the fact that I really like to get close to the deer every time I went out. As I have gotten older I have learned a few things about deer. Probably the reason that you are not seeing the deer that you used to is because you have overhunted your area. Deer will learn to pattern a hunter and will not travel or feed in an area where they frequently run into human scent. Another reason that I do not like to ground hunt is for the fact that your scent is spread down low on the ground where the deer are. Deer will be able to smell anywhere you have been for several hours after you left. Most hunters will kill big deer only after hunting an area once or twice. I generally leave my very best stands and areas for the peek buck traveling season which is generally 1-2 weeks before the peek rut. If you can try to find a few different areas to go and let your spot fill up with deer, then go back and hit em hard.
Missouri Trapper