I've hunted both terrains on both public and private. . A bit easier imo on private ranches further south. Some rolling oak country but some some real brushy country too. Hot temps are the norm.

Killed my first buck on this ranch, near San Antoine Junction. The hunting did get much easier in Sept when the rut kicks in for that region.
[Linked Image from i.ibb.co]

Further north in Mendocino the season is in Oct, public land hunts are tougher ime.