I'm guessing the buck was fighter and got a tine there

my Dad's big bodied buck from 2 years ago, and he was pushing 300 pounds with a 150" 8 point heavy mainframe, was a brute. His right ear was torn almost 1/2 off, he had gouges in this pedicles and his body was riddled with bruises and gouges, his neck especially. Unreal how beat up that buck was !