I think the dead deer worked because it attracts coyotes and deer are afraid of them for good reason ... hmmm now that I think about it ... they do make very good coyote attraction lure that guys use for hunting .. i bet that was the reason .. or maybe the rotting deer cover up the smell of the garden ... either way ... not the best solution .. fence is a sure way ... in PA we have them all over the place to keep them off the highway