Anyone familiar with this area? I visited Lake Monroe years back and loved the area. How's the deer hunting? I just want an area where I can walk for miles. I have a canoe so figure I can access some places off the beaten trail.

I live 45 minutes from there.  I hunted it in college and some since.  That area is huge woods and great terrain but does get a lot of pressure especially in gun season.  Drive through there opening weekend and you will see, looks like a lot of meat hunters because they will shoot anything that moves.  I am sure there are some nice bucks running around somewhere but most don't get a chance to reach maturity.  I think most hunters do not go in by water and stay within a long hike from the roads.  I have seen lots of deer just never a huge buck.

If looking for a very beautiful place to camp and hunt you cant beat it.  But to get a big buck down with Trad bow you will have to be a lot better hunter than me.

Look at Morgan Monroe St. Forest also maybe?

I think you'll be fine if you get in early archery in the month of October. As Jack said, once gun season rolls in,mits a pumpkin patch at Deams and Morgan Monroe.

I've seen some decent bucks come out of Morgan Monroe. It's my go to place for public land hunts since I live about 20 min north of there.