I'd say the Oregon study is bang on. Anyone following last falls thread will read the literally hundreds of walking hrs I did..now put those hrs against the footage I pulled. The bucks I eventually get lucky and shoot are rarely seen twice let alone once.
I as well rarely jump large bucks in their beds. My largest to date was 'possibly' laying down when he heard me rattling and calling and stood there waitting to see what I was..bang flop at 30 yrds but I never saw him laying down although I knew the timbered hill I was on was a bedding knob.
One largy I nailed a few yrs ago I could see his bed with a few doe beds.Could even see his hair pattern in the snow , but never saw him laying down and he was in there all the time.
I have also been after a BIG buck for 4 yrs now and he made it past his prime.The hrs against that deer are embarassingly high.I never and still have never seen him with my naked eye. Never seen his bed but have seen his tracks in the SAME places each fall.I am so familiar with his habits I know where to jump ahead of him and pick up his track...never been soo frustrated. Last fall after tagging out he finally showed. I told Gate I would have a clear pic of him by morning...bingo...baseball bat bases 4X4 going backwards and HUGE...still , he wont let me near him and I'll bet he has never seen a human hunter but me...aaarrrgghhh....
My #1 word of advice to all curious : DONT STOP GOING....its simple math in the end , you WILL eventually have a run in with a monster....as long as you dont shoot a dink or even a large one...might take a year or 5..( lol) but it WILL happen.
I have put in sooo many damned hrs in my spots now it has resulted in a 'run in' occuring more often than 5 yrs earlier....cant wait to see what happens this fall!!