It always amazes me how little cover it takes to conceal a whitetail deer. A patch of 10" tall grass 15' across with a thistle growing in the middle is enough three of 'em. Once the pressure is on they'll find a tiny pocket right out in the middle of nothing and lay there from can see to can't see. You just about have to step on them to get them to move during the day!

Even if you didn't see anything in the headlights when you pulled into the field, you can bet the deer saw the headlights. And they had you pegged the minute you started moving.

As for the 40 deer behind your house, why do you think they're there? It's because nobody is hunting it. They sense the pressure and go where it ain't.