Deer will eat bark. I haven't heard of them mangling the plant though.

It looks like something just ripped it apart, or maybe drove over it. It is not in an area where a vandle would bother it. All my other fruit trees are fine. Would a raccon have done that? We have lots of wildlife in the area. The only thing that the deer do is to nibble on the new growth.

When deer are developing their antlers they must rub against things. I have a cherry tree that deer have pulled the branches off similar to your discription.

It does sound like deer. I've had several trees damaged by them myself.

Yep--they thrash saplings with their antlers to remove the velvet, and to polish up the tips. I saw it for myself for the first time this year.