any ideas for
discouraging the deer from enjoying my garden other than a 6 foot
electric fence.

I'm a big fan of the electric fence, but a bit lower than 3 foot seems to work
best. A single strand of wire at nose height works very well. I don't think
they can see that single thin wire, but they very quickly seem to learn that
grazing in your garden is a most shocking experience. Works for me. If you made
it 6 foot high and very obvious, they might try to jump over it.

Dave
http://members.tripod.com/~VideoDave