If they aren't bedding on your piece of ground then it's highly unlikely you'll encounter them with much regularity in the broad daylight. Sounds like you are in "in between" areas, that being in between their bedding and feeding areas. To fully utilize such an area it is IMPERATIVE to hunt it nearly EVERYDAY, sun-up to sun-down during the week/week & half of prime rut. That's about the only time big bucks, who are otherwise nocturnal, might stand a chance of slipping up and be seen chasing a doe in broad daylight! You MUST be there to capitalize on that opportunity, thus being there as much as possible during that crazed week. Even if it means giving up hunting other times of the season (both pre & post rut) and only using time off from work, family etc... to use it all for that week-10 day period.

Otherwise about the only thing I'd say is stick around in the thickest, nastiest, hardest to access sections of your brushy draws. That's where the boys with bone on their heads are going to be traveling anyother time during the daylight hours.

Again, this is all dependent upon the fact that you KNOW for sure they aren't spending much time on your property and are just passing thru.

Have you walked those draws out at noon during the fall? Maybe they are in there and you just haven't seen them if you are only looking for them around the fringes and open areas?