A friend of mine had trouble with deer eating thier shrubs and flowers- they leave a radio tuned to a talk station turned on outside their house- seems to work for them. Maybe thier deer prefer rock and roll.
As for the painting of trees- it is most likely whitewash- lime and water. The lime helps with insect damage and the white color prevents winter scald. In winter the dark bark of the tree absorbs heat, not good for the tree. The white wash reflects the heat.