Tree Falls On Buck During Tornado Outbreak

This Pike County buck was killed by a falling tree during a January tornado event.

A Pike County buck was found dead under a mature pine tree after a tornado ripped through parts of Pike County on Jan. 12. According to the National Weather Service, the Pike County twister was one of 12 that tore through parts of Georgia last month.

“It looked like it had 6 points, some of  it was buried in the dirt,” said Mark Wallace, the hunter who discovered the buck. “I can’t imagine what it thought, just bedded down waiting for the tornado to pass and then have a tree fall on it.”

Mark discovered the buck when assessing the storm damage. The 50-acre tract was bought for a timber investment, although the property is hunted for deer and turkey.

“My timber tract was 35-year-old planted pines that needed to be cut,” said Mark. “It had been thinned twice, and this was the final cut. I was looking to a pretty good payday. Unfortunately, 30% of the trees were uprooted, and I had to accept a lower price so the wood would not go to waste.”

One thing the tornado didn’t do was kill some unwanted coyotes in the area.

“When I found the buck, coyotes had gotten a hold of the back end. I am hoping it wasn’t still alive when the coyotes found him,” said Mark.

The particular tornado that blew through Mark’s property was an EF-3 with estimated wind speeds of 150 mph.