Why would anyone donate money when the wildlife is gone. I have went there, for several years always seen deer. Not now what has happened. 

Deer numbers are down in comparison to the past; and the vegetative understory and deadfall timber is obscuring viewing opportunities along with aversive conditioning being periodically implemented to prevent traffic jams. Besides other numerous biological contradictions from the Park Service, the simple mathematics of deer mortalities for a "non-hunted" area; and the reproduction/survival rates of male deer fawns can refute the Park's claim that predators are the reason for the deer decline. More detail on these topics soon.

Before I address the Cove itself in showing that predators alone cannot effectively reduce and regulate non-hunted deer populations, I will periodically link several studies from other sources (see link below, via Google Search) showing just how adaptable female deer are when it comes to raising fawns amid predators. Though there are variations with fawn mortality studies, when one seriously analyzes the data, there are strong arguments that predators "cannot" consistently reduce and regulate non-hunted deer populations. The Pennsylvania study below deals primarily with hunted deer. Harvesting female deer in conjunction with bears and coyotes increases the probability of higher fawn mortalities due to abundant predators and less maternal female deer. Despite this reality, for Pennsylvania, the hunted deer are surviving, despite a substantial coyote/bear population. Yet, according to the NPS, the Cades Cove deer population (non-hunted deer) has declined due to bears/coyotes. If predators cannot effectively reduce and control hunted deer populations; then how can predators reduce and control non-hunted deer populations? This is an obvious biological contraction on the part of the NPS. 
 
 
Predation & Deer Population (pa.gov)

Predation & Deer Population - PA.Gov
Deer management objectives are based on 'pre-hunt' deer population trends. The 'pre-hunt' population is the number of deer available at the beginning of the first hunting season.
www.pgc.pa.gov

?

Here is some clarification for the above comment: "Harvesting too many female deer with a stable bear/coyote population increases the probability of higher fawn mortalities due to abundant predators and less maternal female deer. My apology for the lack of clarification using "in conjunction" which is confusing. For a summary of the actual study (Google Search: Predation and Pennsylvania's Deer Population - PA Game).

There is no reason to visit Cades Cove. It is barren of wildlife. We saw 4 turkeys, 1 squirrel and too many crows to count. There are  more wild mammals to view in my garden then in Cades Cove. Thanks Park Management. Thanks for nothing.

I agree, what has happened to the deer heard, something is up, has been getting worse for the last 5 -10 years, to point of no deer being spotted after visiting for a week in the fall during rut. It's not because people are walking on trails in the woods, they have always done that. What are Smokey Mountain park officials not telling us, it's not predators, more turkeys now, so that excuse is BS.

Here is an interesting link below: showing that predators cannot reduce healthy deer populations. The Park APC's (Abomasal Parasite Count for herd health) always showed moderate to good herd health; but we continue to hear the propaganda that predators are the reason for the loss of deer. There is no reasonable answer for the times when healthy deer just disappear? The Park is no longer using APCs which of course allows them a big gray area with population density connected to herd health and the Cove's habitat carrying capacity. If the APCs were conducted once again, and showed good herd health; then there would be a greater rebuttal on their excuse for the deer decline.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/03/190320102117.htm

The recent spread of coyotes across North America did not doom deer populations

Here is another biological statement that validates my agruements that predators alone cannot reduce and control/regulate non-hunted deer populations - contrary to the Park's claim that predators are the reason for the deer decline. Link below. Of course, the Park may want to claim a high density of predators which I'll will glady refute in the future.
Why aren't deer numbers naturally controlled by nature?

Today, in Maryland, man -- an integral part of nature and the food chain -- is the only remaining effective deer predator. While black bears, coyotes, and bobcats do catch and consume white-tailed deer, they primarily only focus on fawns for a short period in the spring, and their actions do not significantly alter deer populations. These predators rarely predate adult deer, and often when they do, it is because the deer is sick or otherwise unhealthy.

Deer Hunting: An Effective Management Tool (maryland.gov)