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So my wife is an avid mt lion hunter so we have started doing a lot of deep snow driving looking for tracks in some remote places in the middle of winter. I am new to driving in snow and it is evident that my truck is not set up properly. We spend more time digging out than actually driving! I have a 2000 f150 that is stock at this point. Without doing too much in the way of modification what is the largest best tire I can put on for winter use? Mind you this is my only vehicle so it's my daily driver.

What would you suggest? Was looking at 265x75r16 tires. Was at the local big o tire and the big foot xt looked good but I don't know what I'm looking at either...

Thanks kelpy

There are some really-winter tyres in this range of sizes, they will somehow compacting the snow and the car will propel.
Again, if you drive regularly on one road you can compact the snow and thereby obtain just a regular winter road. That is how small cars do on winter tyres, they start from the autumn and in the spring there about half a meter of compacted snow, the level of the road is just lifted up (and first melting of this snow starts to produce difficulties).

But if it is about getting through deep snow, not about pushing it with front bumper, people here in general say that "some" 35x12.5 R15 is barely enough for dedicated driving on deep (in which you almost can not walk) snow.

In mountains we all can think about wet snow, but there are also other types of snow, for example here in Siberia in cold temperatures we sometimes have the one like sugar at cold and dry weather, and it can not be compacted and it is always essentially like particles, it usually happens in February here, and it is usually end of the road. And when you walk on it, each step your leg just goes deep unless you sit on the snow, you finally leave some kind of a rut behind yourself. (But at the northern territories this type of snow is being quickly covered with compacted layer of snow because of wind, and even heavy trucks with large difficulties somehow get through it.)

Go big or get stuck. The bigger the better. In the pic you see my 76F250 weight 9300. It started out stock but if you want to go there is no other way than big rubber. I am running 39.5 Iroks. Going from 37" Super Swampers to the Iroks made the truck a differnet rig in the snow. There is not a rig out there with anything smaller than a 37" rubber that can break trail better than my heavy rig. Lockers are a must as well. However Just gooing to a big tire will save you lots of digging. Of course there are many oter issuses you can find discussed on this site about the subject. Thats my perspective. Hope ya have success and a great time!

Running a full size in the snow isn't the best choice due to it's weight. If that's your only option, then you're going to going to need a minimum of a 35" tire. I'm not familiar with the 2000 f-150, so I can't say what it will take to clear 35's. You're also going to need on-board air. Airing down to the single digits is the secret to less digging. And finally, lockers. The lucky people have factory lockers. It's the same story for pretty much any vehicle, tires (and gears), air pressure, lockers.

If all that is just too much to get into, a good set of snow chains front and rear will help a lot! You want real chains with actual links, not cable chains.

Like these. The cam locks are good.

Btw, you think this could have been a cat?

I'll second Nobody, if big tires aren't an option a good set of chains will help. I've seen them work but they were very unforgiving when he did stop.
I'll add a winch on a receiver with receivers front and rear and something to bury (spare tire has worked in the past). This could help just that little bit to get where you want to be or back out with a pull from the rear.
I would also start saving for lockers, lunch boxes seem to be OK in the front but wasn't impressed with one in the rear. Best would be selectable but they aren't cheap.

A 2000 f150 should go 35's with a leveling kit and some minor trimming. I would shoot for something like a duratrac studded up and air way down. Smittybuilt has a killer 12v air comp that makes airing up fairly painless. Lockers are expensive so it budget is tight I'd make sure your suspension isn't over stiff sprung so you can use what traction is available. It'll make a huge difference in where you do go.

Thanks everyone for the tips on getting set up right. Nevada is very frustrating that you have to drive long distances on the pavement before you get into the rough stuff but when it comes to the mountains, really crappy rutted and side sloped roads are the norm. There is virtually no road maintenance of any kind in the mountains. No logging or other industry to keep them maintained so they go to crap and stay that way until they are just impassible.

I'm not quite sure what the budget will allow in regards to a lift kit and big tires but I would have to guess that it won't fully fund it! Isn't that always the case. . .

Anyway, would a 2" body lift allow me to get 35's under it? I would think that if this doesn't do what I need it to then we should just be on the snowmobiles anyway.

Thanks for the help everyone! Btw, Nobody, that very well could be a cat track. It is hard to tell without scale but the stride appears to be close as is the track pattern. Deep snow that fills in makes it really hard if the track is not fresh, and in deep snow lions drag their belly (along with every other animal) and that makes it REALLY hard to tell. In shallower snow cats don't drag their feet which makes it really easy to spot a trail of clean, single file, round tracks.

Thanks, Kelpy

I know 33x12.5 fit your truck without a lift at all. I've seen 2 personally like that. That being said a 35 only needs a little over 1" more room when turned so I wouldn't think it would be a problem. If a guy found an old 35 someone was getting rid of you could mount one up and cycle and turn your wheels and see what you've got for room. I'm a little more prone to cut and hack than most though. Depends on your preference and skill level at home.

Snowmobiles are probably a better bet for what you are doing. Even a purpose built snow wheeling vehicle will have problems in various conditions. Sometimes it can take an hour or more to break a mile of trail.

Be careful just throwing bigger tires on, not knowing what your gearing is, the tires could make it become a huge hwy pig that gets even worse mpg.