I found pear drops under a Patten pear tree that had been eaten by a night "visitor".... eaten around, like a human, with the core left behind. Odd.....
Then ten feet from it was a hornets' nest under a Ure pear tree..... the day before it had been maybe one inch in diameter... and this new morning it was now about 8 inches in diameter and nearly a foot deep.
Would that be a skunk?

Morninglory Farm
Zone 3b* in Ontario

Could be skunk, racoon, porcupine...
I've seen quite a few of my apples eaten like you describe.
Larger animals like deers or bears would eat the whole apple.
If you find many small branches that are cleanly cut, this is porcupine.
Racoons can also break branches by bending them, but wouldn't cut them as porcupines do.
As of skunks, I don't think they climb the trees, and would simply eat on the fallen fruit.

Jolicoeur Orchard
Zone 4 in Quebec
Author, The New Cider Maker's Handbook

Thank you Claude. That helps.

Definitely skunks.... They've been doing a great job of clearing out ground wasp nests just before the fruit is ready to harvest... which would have been challenging with the wasps presence. Good neighbours, tho' I wouldn't want to surprise one in action.