RE: will deer move in 5" of snow?
to answer my own question... Yes!
Problem is, lazyarcher, you're exactly right. By the time I got to the woods, the deer had already moved from the bedding areas, and I ended up bumping four going into the woods (it's really cool how you can see them slink away so much easier against the white background), and another group of three or four (possibly the same group) under my stand.
There were tracks everywhere, and several looked a couple hours old, while some were fresher. That would have put the start of the movement during the early afternoon, around 1 or so.
Next time I'll get out earlier. Thanks for the help though.
Discipline -- not desire -- determines destiny.