Chuck, this is why i don't cut my trail until i'm well off into the woods. once you get a few hundred yards from a road, it is unlikely someone will find it. most hunters don't stray far from roads and the ones that do will usually have enough courtesy to back out once they see someone else is hunting that area. i hunt alot like you, it's nothing to have to walk 1 mile to my stand. so once i get a couple hundred yards in, i start cutting my trails. i'll cut a trail to my tree. then i'll climb my tree and get at my desired hunting height and look around. i'll look for natural trails and other area's deer will most likely be coming from. then i will climb down and widen existing trails and/or make some new ones. keep in mind, the trails don't have to be cut wide enough to drive a 4 wheeler down...just wide enough to get a shot and encourage deer to use.