Here's how to travel the way they do, and beat them at their own game. There's no surefire way to put a buck in your sights, but making smart use of deer trails will help. This may seem the least sensible option when deer aren't moving, but in fact it is doubly useful then. Movement not only takes energy but exposes them to danger. When they're afoot they have someplace to go, something to do.
Trails help deer move efficiently.
Cover, wind, and topography influence deer travel. As a hunter, you, too, want the wind in your face, cover to hide your movements, and the easiest route to where you're going. Even if your chances of seeing deer weren't better on deer trails, your logical path through the woods would follow them. It doesn't occur to them that deer traffic established and maintains the route. Few people strolling along a sidewalk pay heed to the street traffic, but a sedan jumping the curb and motoring across lawns would draw quick attention.