But I don't think the issue is people's hostas, or even that the deer are encroaching on human habitation. It sounds like this is an area hosting many different types of wildlife and the deer are so overpopulated that
they are encroaching on those other species habitats.
Feeding stations sound like a good idea, but they also may increase the spread of CWD and other cervine diseases. Like the 'mad cow' disease prion, once the prion responsible for CWD enters the environment, it is devilishly difficult to remove. We're fighting the spread of CWD in WI right now--a difficult task given the size of the herd. The first thing the DNR did was ban baiting and feeding deer in the CWD zones to try to prevent the spread of the disease.
The other problem with feeding stations is that it artificially boosts the carrying capacity of the habitat. The population may survive, but then it continues to reproduce and the problem the next year becomes worse.
