deer dont eat the buds as they are toxic but they do love to eat the stems... so if the buds are on the ground but the stems are eaten then its deer. if even the buds are gone then i can assue you that its not deer. use "scoot" once at first of season never have a problem.
im not too sure about this ..there have been numerous times i have gone to my spot & found nothing left .. deer will eat anything green , and especially when everything else in the forrest is brown & dying off , and they find your big green snack bar
, yeah ,... after i went out to find nothing left , all i noticed were deer prints all over in the dirt .. after they eat , weather it be buds, or a bait pile that hunters use ,, after they finish the food , they stomp on the ground , thinking more will pop out of the dirt