Mine have been eaten off and on for the last couple of years. Knock on wood, they seem to be untouched so far this year.

If you can get some Deer Scram, sprinkle that on the ferns and the deer will stay away.

Say it ain't so, Joe!

They haven't touched the ostrich fern yet, and it's doing such a great job out-competing the garlic mustard. Native plant victory! And now the deer want to take it away?

ok i've read up on this further (spurred on, weirdly, by some fiddleheads i saw at the supermarket - i was curious, i bought some, then had to get online to learn how to cook them). apparently, fiddleheads (aka young unfurled new growth on ferns in spring) are a delicacy that white tail deer are known to feast on in the springtime in NJ when some other yummy eats haven't popped out yet. go figure. and apparently, few ferns are safe until they are fully unfurled (and then indigestable).

and birdgardner - although they never touched my ostrich ferns, apparently deer will eat those too. the fiddleheads i bought at the store were in fact ostrich fern fiddleheads, and i say, if humans can eat them, why not the deer. those darn cute pesky bastards!

yep gotta protect those ferns in the spring from now on...