Daughter and SIL are in the Benton area, went hunting there one year on a leased land logging area. Looked great, all signs said deer should be there. Cover, food, water etc. No recent deer sign at all. Bobcat yes..
I don't know about ALL the area but am familiar with much of the deer hunting around Benton Ar.
I can say that I don't have any idea of where they looked AND I don't know of any specific area where deer are that scarce. Also the whole State isn't overpopulated w/deer but the Southern half of the State is well supplied. There are several deer zones where the annual bag limit is 4, 5, or 6 deer.
Regardless of where you live/hunt, the Statewide annual bag limit is 6. In most places that is 2 bucks + up to 4 does.
You can hunt in'different' zones and kill/register 6 deer TOTAL.
You are correct about the lease logging (timber) land. The majority of those TARs (timber access roads) are gated and locked.
Jerry
