I went to college at UWF in Pensacola from '80-'83 then lived there for a couple years before finding greener pastures. We hunted the Blackwater River State Forest still hunting areas. Used to take 191 out of Milton and take a right at Red Rock Road, hunted creek bottoms south of Red Rock. Until I moved to Tennessee in 1998 my largest 8 pt buck came from Blackwater in that area.
North of you in Cantonment is an International Paper mill. Used to be St. Regis when I was there. Anyway their timber land was a Wildlife Management Area and it was a great bowhunt area. Killed many a deer hunting persimmon trees on that property.
Back in the good old days when an Alabama out of state license was $50 we hunted the Conecuh State Forest around the Brewton area. We hammered deer in there during muzzle loader seasons putting on deer drives. I still remember watching a half dozen big rack bucks running full tilt down a fire break and my old TC Renegade and patched round ball missing by a mile. Those hunts were fun and some drives sounded like a dove shoot there were so many deer in those planted pines.
My next piece of advice is to get a permit and bowhunt the Eglin Air Force Base, Main Base unit. I promise you that place is infested with deer. Spend a little time scouting it, you will be rewarded.
Whatever you do good luck. Thanks for your service. You are in God's country in the panhandle. Oh, PS - You must learn how to gig flounder in the Perdido Bay.