RE: What is the best way to mark a path to your stand?
If I have a stand up I usually know the area well enough that I don't need to leave a marked trail or use the gps to get to it. If I'm hunting a new area that I haven't thouroughly scouted and become familiar with I'll set a waypoint on the gps and mark the position on a topo map. I wouldn't mark my trail on public land and if lucky enough to hunt private land I would get permission from the landowner before marking a trail. Don't forget, your in the deer's backyard and they know it better than you know the back of your hand. I've seen deer avoid a marked trail like the plague.