History, in England, showed animal rights activists that releasing thousands of minks into the wild, where many died and some attacked domestic animals, got the negative attention of the masses. The hated the messenger, but they heard the message. Years later, laws were changed protecting minks from anal electrocution by mink farmers. Now thousands of lives are saved each year.
It is the war, not the battle, that has enduring effect.
Releasing the deer raised the public consciousness. Slowly, the war is being won.