Feeding deer is illegal for a reason.
MTT TL,
Why do you insist on saying " feeding deer is illegal" as if it is illegal in every state. It isn't.
There are many states in which feeding and baiting are perfectly legal. And planting food plots for the wildlife is not only legal but encouraged by the government in the form of property tax rebates, gifted seed/fertilizer and in some cases loaned equipment to plant such.
I've killed enough deer in my lifetime, that I don't feel the need to kill every one I see anymore. Last week was our deer shotgun season. Opening day(a week ago last Monday) I let a smallish ten point walk that stopped broadside no more then 40 yds from me. The following Friday I let a decent nine(probably a 120-130) walk no more than 30 yds from me. I let them walk cause I enjoyed watching them, they were in their prime and excellent specimens with much breeding left to do to replenish the herd.
I hope both these bucks make it till they are past their prime. Then if I see them again, game on.
The elderly couple I bought this place from had to move from here due to their health. Since this place is fairly remote, they moved in town closer to the hospital. Their whole life out here was invested in watching the wildlife. I stayed in contact with them after they moved and the thing they missed most was watching the deer come up out of the woods into the yard in the evening. They came out a couple times in the evening after they moved to visit and sit with the wife and I to watch the deer. They quit coming out and when I asked them why, the Mrs. replied with tears in her eyes that they miss this place and the wildlife so badly it was just too hard on them and that they don't see this wildlife in town.
Sooo...you wonder why I wouldn't shoot that deer the OP is talking about?
Maybe there's an elderly couple in that town same as there was here that doesn't get much enjoyment out of life anymore but watching this 'town pet deer'.
Who am I to end that little bit of enjoyment they have left in life?