I actually read through all the responses,which took a while.Matt/Pa's original response and follow up responses come closest to mirroring my home hunting circumstances in NY.Throw in next to no agriculture,the majority of the public land being mountains where no logging is permitted (old over mature forest where there is no cover and browse other than cyclical mast crop)couple that with an exploding coyote population and huge second home ownership of property where the New York city second homeowners are not letting you on their land.The last of my whining is the typical 4 to 5 weeks of gun and muzzleloading pressure that our deer get and through our tag system the ability to take more than one buck.That translates in to hunting that sucks,unless you have access to big blocks of low land private property that happens to have all the necessary elements to attract and hold game.
Getting back to the originall question asked the most important factor that influences deer movement is pressure,the less pressure in whatever form that takes the more day time movement.Additionally if you happen to have a state with a better management plan.One buck and your done for the season killing bucks,no firearms season during the rut,shorter fire arms seasons,low hunter density etc. that translates in to more older age class ofbucks and a more defined and intense rut.Which translates in to greater competition for breeding and a much more active and visable buck population.
This isn't rocket science.I hunt out of state every year,exclusively on public ground and the worst year I have ever had there is better than the best year I have ever had home.It has every thing to do with all the factors I previously mentioned.