The swamp Island I happened to be on was almost 100% large Cedar trees. The entire island is covered in a thick mat of old fallen cedar needles/leaves or whatever you call em. Its like walking on a thick comforter, completely silent and with the low hanging branches you can approach this buck bed completely unseen and unheard.
When the buck got up at 2:58 I assure you he was not spooked or had any idea I was there. The breeze was straight from him to me and he walked slowly and deliberately right to me on his well established trail, nibbling on this and that as he slowly worked his way past me to the main woods. He had no idea I was there.
Id have a picture of him here if he had literally moved another 2 minutes later as I would have had my bow up the tree with me instead of lying on the ground. Just dumb luck on his part. His trail brought him by broadside at 15 yards and he was totally relaxed, he would have been dead.
Now, im not saying its easy to set up that close or that I always want to but with the super hot weather, lack of deer movement in the hardwoods, and my vacation coming to an end I pushed the envelope and it almost paid off, so close!