I would imagine that spreading corn meal over the area even a light layer would attract deer. The deer around here love corn!
Does the corn gluten product have a scent to it that would attract critters? I have never used it before myself and have always used Preen. Preen does work, I notice if I wait too long to put it out. But I wonder how safe it is to use around my frogs and birds and what it does to earthworms.