On a couple of occasions I've seen the Thrashers appear to attempt to land on the scapes, and so I thought that was maybe how the scapes were being cracked off. The buds just lay there on the ground so apparently nothing attempting to eat buds is doing this. Not 100% sure on the cause...
I thought that rabbits liked daylily buds, and I've seen a couple rabbits around, plus I have not seen deer tracks near the daylilies. So I just assumed it was rabbits. I'll look more closely for deer tracks, I'll probably find some...
I think homeowner insurance policies should cover the damage to plants, and health insurance should pay for professional psychological treatment for the emotional trauma. PTSD is a real threat in these situations. I'm also looking to see if there is a local Deer Victims Support Group near me!
