I hunt national forest about 70%of the time. It has private land mixed up in a lot of it. I try to find small tracks and hunt close to private land boundaries. Have never seen any sign of other people and have seen A LOT of deer. Also exclusively hunt thickets. Some guys think they need to be able to see 200 yards. I also have some spots way out but that’s what most people do. What I’m really saying is that you don’t necessarily have to walk 3 miles off the road to get to a great spot. Most people wont hunt the areas next to private land because they think there will be other hunters there. That works in my benefit. Just do some scouting. The best time is just before spring. That way you can see the lay of the land well before all the leaves sprout and all the trails, scrapes and rubs are easier to find.