Oh yeah Va.. their does exist real staging areas. And they are often used by the oldest of bucks. And yes and no.. sometimes they are close to an edge of a destination food source (or any destination that a buck would otherwise be uncomfortable to travel too during light)... but 9 out of 10 times (where I hunt) they are much further back and tucked real tight to the bucks bedroom.

The old guys.. who've been around long enough and seen pressure from hunters.. use these areas (which are often really small) and usually within extreme close proximity of that bucks daytime bed. I'm talking like 10-60 yards. In fact.. most of these staging areas are basically when the buck stands up from bed.. mills around.. walks maybe 10 yards making scrapes and some rubs.. this is the actual staging area. Old bucks don't go walkin' in plain day headed to a Oak flat very often.. thats because they're waiting in their little staging area til dark.. to enter more open terrain.