Where are the deer this time of year?

Since about mid December I've been wondering about this. I usually get a chance to scan across the big field south of the house most mornings and evenings and, except for the last three weeks, there are usually several deer out and about. Perhaps its because the rut is over and they are all tuckered out from mating. ?

However, Otto and I flushed three large deer from a thick patch of salal just today. The shrubs were so thick that we couldn't see them though they were only about 15 feet away. After being spooked, they bounded off and we had only a moment to watch movements. This was about noon and it was raining lightly.