In addition to identifying cover/edge habitat and hot food sources (which can sometimes be tricky in river bottoms or other monotonous habitat), I would start by focusing on oxbows and looking at aerial photos of private land. Deer often bed near the tips of oxbows and if the water is deep or fast, like to cross along the sides of the oxbows. In the off season, I’d scour the oxbows tips to confirm bedding. In season, I’d stick with finding the crossings on the sides.
The private land side may have great bedding cover or food (such as crop fields). You may want to integrate such features into your working plans if trying to predict deer movement while on the public side. Or better yet, you could use OnX to find landowner contact info and seek permission to hunt the private if habitat/food is better.