They don't seem to touch bamboo. I wish they would it would help keep the spreaders in check. I have mostly Phyllostachys, a few Fargesia (ruffa), Bambusa and Borinda. They leave them all alone--new and old growth.

Deer mostly seem to leave bamboo alone, but they are an occasional problem. You may have more problems with squirrels if they discover the shoots!

Here is a link that might be useful: Deer

I always wondered if feeding the squirrels in the winter time when they were short on food would make them less interested in eating my plants. Any ideas?

That's a kind attitude toward squirrels. I think you might just be encouraging them, but I'd be happy to be disproved.

Bamboo is one of the few plants deer don't destroy around here. Even when we had a ton of snow one year and they were having problems finding food, and they even ate some of my scotch broom bush (that they would never touch otherwise), they didn't touch my bamboo. And, the $#@$!@ deer around here even eat my daffodils when they start to come up (but they usually spit them out..grrr!