The deer are pounding my sunflowers. The tallest are about chin high now. Many have had the buds eaten out of them and won't be able to produce a flower. Should I cut them down so they don't eat fertilizer and drink water or leave them to shade weeds and serve as deer food?

Next question:
If I plant something like clay peas or sunn hemp near the sunflowers, will it help keep pressure off the sunflowers or simply be another item on the salad bar and make the sunflowers even more attractive?