I've never hunted your particular area, but I have hunted all sorts of public land for many years.
In a new area, I like to slowly drive the roads and look for tracks on the edges of the roads. Sometimes an area can look really good, but has very few deer in it.
Keep in mind that you'll see alot more sign on foot than from a vehicle. If an area has promise, or simply instills confidence, get out and scout on foot.
When doing preseason scouting, I like to start late in the morning, when the light is good. If i'm a vehicle, I drive very slowly. If I'm on foot, I move along at a good clip.
About now, in my area, the bucks are rubbing their antlers. So I'll be looking for rubbed areas.
Deer do change their habits when the hunting seasons start. One thing they don't do is run out of their home range and live somewhere else. What they do is hold still, often in thick cover. When under hunting pressure, quality cover with tested escape routes are No. 1. Food and water are way back in 2nd place.
So, find the deer and then find the bucks. They may not be in the same area. Then find where they like to hide. After that, you need to figure out how to get to them. E
