Guys, one thing we need to be more specific about when we post about public lands is describing the land we are referring to. Some of these areas are huge, and others are small. So if we describe the area by acres responses will fit better.
As to hunting near the parking lot, well that depends on many factor. Last year I shot a 10pt 15 minutes after sitting down. I was about 3/8-1/2 mile from the parking lot. That afternoon I shot a fat A doe less than 100 yards from the parking lot. The area I shot the doe looked right to me. A dried pond bed with raised banks. I laid on the bank peering down towards a creek bed with my body mostly exposed and me considering a nap or 2 (but the thoughts of bugs crawling onto my face or into eye ears kept my head up. Shortly before dusk started falling 3 does came in and only 2 left.
It's all relative.