Twig browse keeps deer alive but doesn't pull them. Standing crops (corn, beans) and food plots that produce into winter (brassicas, cereal grains, kale) are the late-season concentrators. South-facing slopes with brushy regrowth are reliable browse zones.
Hunting strategy in December and January: stand setups on the highest-quality remaining food source, with quiet entry/exit on a known trail. Pair with state late-season rut date pages and current mast reports for the food picture.