Well, I couldn't shoot a deer anyway. I celebrate the fact that some large wild animals are avoiding the endangered-species list. But not in my back yard. The fence is now done. Spray on a repellent.
Commercial products have odors or bitter tastes that discourage deer.
Easy to apply and initially inexpensive. Plant what the deer won't eat. Nurseries have lists of plants, such as oleander and hollyhocks, that deer dislike. If they're hungry, the deer will eat them anyway. And you may have to give up on favorite flowering plants, such as roses and azaleas.