It's a very fine balance. The problem is ag attracts all animals. Game will travel a long way to get the best food. They do like cotton more than folks think. I have seen where they bust open a watermelon to get to the sweetness. As OP scenario stated, I first hand have watch the same process unfold in smaller scale in an area not loaded with deer. The farmer came in from another state and bought a local farm. Started shooting at night in May. I know one neighor that lived on deer meat and would have thin the herd during the winter months probably short of shooting them all. Venison was their primary meat. I think the issue can be how far deer will travel just to get to ag, causing lower numbers in surrounding areas when someone wipes the herd out. I think there should be a special season for all the hunters to help solve the problem. Maybe early season in September through February or March. Maybe even allow night hunting during this time. Areas should be outlined with higher numbers of deer harvests for a certain number of years. Announced on the game website and shown on maps. Then if the local hunters can't control the population only then will a depredation permit be issued. I know a guy that fed his family on deer that said he could probably eat as many as they could harvest, yet they never shot everyone they seen. I am sure this family would have controlled the numbers. I would think on large farms there would need to be more agressive approach during the season. I read Illinois and some other states are leasing farm land for public hunting, which seems like a good idea in areas where there are more farmland. I am sure we have a lot of hunters on this site that would drop a few off at a local processor to help with feed the hunger program. On the other hand, planting 200 acres of farmland in the middle of 10000 acres of forest makes no sense. The farmer would be better off finding another place to make a living.