I've been reading a lot about shooting sticks and taking into consideration that we have two real seasons up here, one with lots of snow and one without. Also, we have lots of shooters that contend with the same problem (north and east), but a large number that do not (south and west). Now when I am talkinig snow I do not mean an inch or two, but a foot or two or three or four.
Conditions where you have to actually use snowshoes or cross country skis to get in the field. And yes, sometimes a snow camo'd tobagan (I still like that!)
Anyhow, shooting sticks for the non-snow season seems to be rather cut and dried, but they seem to sink into the snow rather easily. When set up for a shot you can easily slide from sitting to prone without effort, and unintentionally. However, due to this deep snow problem, I decided to make a universal set of poles to resolve this problem.
Yesterday, I made a new pair that so far work great. I went to a sporting outlet and bought a pair of kids cross country ski poles. They were $12, 39 inches long, they have a metal spear point, and the key is that the snow baskets are removable. They also have a plastic interlocking clip to keep them together when not in use or walking.
I got fiberglass rather than aluminum for the reason that if they hit each other the fiberglass makes a more natural "wood" sound than the metal poles clanging together. They are lighter than wood, stiff, and extremely strong.
I then used Craigs description (above) to put them together, except that I used a rubber faucet washer between them to further eliminate rubbing noise. You can then put surgical hose over the top ends to help control the spread and keep it more as a unit with your gun.
Anyhow, they work in deep snow and non-snow terrain equally well.......good hunting