I hunt exclusively in New England (NH and Maine) and I hunt the thickest, nastiest places in my woods. That's usually cedar swamps or thick alders. As previously mentioned, I also love to hunt the edges of these places as well. Most of my setups only offer me shots that are usually 25-30 yds at best. One of my favorite stands allows me shots at only 30 yds and it's less than 50 yds wide. I will usually hear the deer before actually seeing them but that is not always the case. Many times, a deer will suddenly appear, almost out of nowhere. Having a deer step into my lanes at only 10-20 yds away is truly up close and personal.

I know the deer use these areas because it offers feed, security and protection from nasty weather. My scouting over the years has reinforced this. Of all the deer I have shot over the years, my longest shot was about 65-70 yds away. All others have been much closer.

So to answer the question, I have always hunted thick stuff. Scouting plays a big part in my strategy as well as always hunting the wind.

Good Luck!