I've seen these things, the very LAST thing I want to do is piss one off. Or worse, how about having multiple ones ticked off at you? Like that young Alabama family? Their home was surrounded, the Big Guys were smacking the house from different places... Showing themselves. What a nightmare! Thank God they had family to call on, who came and rescued them.
I do think if you have BF's around your property, and you want to gift them with the occasional treat, or present, that's cool. Just don't do it up close to your house. Establish an area, some walking distance away, out of sight, where they can feel comfortable approaching, and you can too!
My gifting area is at least 250 feet away....and was pre-established for me. Some of the things I have left for them: carved animal figures, brightly colored polished rocks and crystals, squeaky toys, bones, necklaces, stuffed animals, a mirror, feathers, and fruit. I had three green plastic frogs that I placed down on the berm. One of them, that sat at the top of the pond, rarely got messed with. One that was set on a little bird house would disappear for days, then I'd find it at the base of the huge oak tree. I'd put it back on the birdhouse and it would disappear again. The third frog was in the gifting area. And it got the most activity. All three eventually disappeared.
After living here for four years, I can absolutely understand why most people don't think these things are around their property. If you are not paying REALLY close attention, you will miss the subtle ways they let you know they have been there.
I do still put food gifts out, since it was a previously established practice at this location. I can tell you that this has been the year of Peanut Butter. The previous years they have been totally uninterested in it, but in the past 4 weeks, 11 jars have disappeared. (It would be more if I didn't keep running out!)
Next entry I'll share about the time I got two gifts at once!