One word..... COVER.. You better have it if it is anything like the national forest I hunt in Texas. I am amazed when I watch these TV hunting shows and these guys are only 15 feet up and out in the broad open. I have learned in the 2 seasons that I have hunted public land that if you don’t go high enough(20 feetvery minimum, 30 feet is best) then you will be busted every time. It’s hard to find the perfect tree. Just make sure you have good back and front cover. In my experience hard hunted public deer come out looking up. Another thing don’t think you have to go 5 miles off the road to get a good spot. Some of the best spots I have had are right next to private land on little fingers of land.
Wear orange even if you don’t have to.

One more thing... Don’t be an idiot and walk around trying to still hunt. That will just pisses people off and IMO it’s darn near impossible to kill a white tail on public land like that. You also never know when a poacher might be out there with a rifle.