I killed A LOT of ducks as a kid around Port Arthur/Bridge City on public land (Type 2). My dad and I would bring home bags of doves from public lands near San Angelo too. Those days of quail and dove in Angelo are gone with their rain - from my recent experiences. The Great Country (State) of Texas has some of the finest public places to hunt. It is all in God's time and planning on what you see.
I did not see anything on the public lands this deer season. But, I did pay for several private hunts and filled my freezer a few times over and others too. So, from that point, yes, you "get what you pay for".
I agree it depends on place. I hunted outside of College Station when going to school there. All we saw was drunk frat boys who didn't belong there with their daddy's guns or trucks. Scarry, really. Again, hit or miss and depends a lot on rain.
Keep "hunting" for that good public hunting land. And, stay here on the forum, for I have found really nice hunts here too.
All the best!