Just because a plant is poisonous to humans doesn't mean it is poisonous to deer, apparently. Deer eat a lot of plants that would be considered at least inedible, if not outright toxic to humans. For an example, deer can eat poison ivy, which would probably kill most humans. On the other hand, I think a few things humans eat are supposed to be toxic to a lot of other mammals - chocolate is supposed to be toxic to dogs and rats.

Sometimes I see rhodos being marketed as deer proof or deer resistant. Apparently, the deer around here did not get the memo.

Guess it depends on the food available. They chew on my azaleas each winter, but leave the rhodo's alone.

The deer eat all my 'regular' rhododendrons but do not eat the PJM variety. These are a hybrid that is evergreen in the winter, has a small leaf and has a particular odor to the leaf when you crush it. They are dwarfish. Better than no rhododendrons at all but not the same.

Years ago my two dogs ate a three-foot rhododendron to the ground and survived. They were not even sick! They also consumed a fairly large c. myrtle,many other plants, and even munched on black walnuts! However, one dog, at the ripe age of 12, apparently ate something that did her in. The other dog continued eating plants and lived to the ripe age of 16+.

I guess your dogs didn't get the memo about poisonous plants!

Mountain laurel is poisonous also and they eat that as well although many sources list is as hardly eaten..

Deer also love (LOVE!!) yews, which are highly poisonous to cattle.

PJM is the only variety of rhododendrons that deer seem to leave alone. Our son lives in an area of northern NJ where 4 or 5 deer pass through his yard on a daily basis. If hungry enough, these deer would walk right up and eat their doorbell! There are two mature PJM rhododendrons that seem to have survived well. I did notice this spring that tips of branches had been chewed off, and were scattered around underneath, as if tasted and spit out - something that fawns - who don’t know better - often do.