Apples are really hard to beat, for both browse and mast in later years, they grow slow though. I'm looking into some of the same ideas. The deer in our area really key in on maple saplings after logging. Also you might consider planting a few pines in the areas where you expect the deer to bed as the logged tops break down. In my area, we have a few white pines mixed in our young growth as stand alone trees, or in groups of three or four. Its like the deer recogize them as "islands" in the new growth and gravitate to them when they bed (not for a food source). They usually grow faster - and in 15-20 years, provide excellent treestands.

Someone mentioned Blueberries - I know they grow well in acidic soils (like mine) - but I've never heard that deer like to browse on them - anyone heard this?