That strip of timber might serve as a good funnel for bucks cruising between bigger timbered areas. Setting up just inside the timber where CP suggested may allow you to monitor both timber and cut at the same time - you might hear some movement in the timber behind you as you glass the cut.
Elevation is a huge advantage in hunting deer, but remember that deer typically also go uphill to bed, so as others suggested, a descending thermal in the early morning may give away your location before they ever get to you as they head uphill to bed. Regardless, if I didn't see anything in the cut by noon (at the latest), I'd move into the timber, find a trail and still hunt, something like 50 yards inside the edge of the cut - probably above the area where you saw the most sign.
Good luck!
