thanks 2MANY. that's good info right there. I'll take it. we were up in the snow on Sunday morning at our first stop. walked in behind a gate over a mile and back into a massive cut. didn't see a single deer track along the road in and out of the timber. The snow was about 4" deep and very crunchy from the freeze the night before. figured we would have seen some fresh tracks but maybe they were holed up deep in the timber where the snow can't penetrate? on our way out there were fresh, dirty little coyote tracks in our tracks and it had taken a dump along our tracks. must have just missed the little guy. I'd love to stick one.