there is probably a creek in there that he is usin fer travel...no way he just stays in the small area you are speakin of...
time to put out some old school timers that tell you when somethin went by, someone help me here, it has a string, the deer crosses the path, the string lets go, and takes a record of the time...
you can probably see the trails he is using...so go for a walk, follow the trail, see which way he is goin in and out of your thicket..gotta hit a huntable area sometime!!