Loggers find perfectly preserved canine 20 years after it got stuck while 'chasing a racoon'

Daily Mail ^ | Alistair Tancred

[Diana in Wisconsin]

This is the mummified dog who was found by loggers inside a tree trunk 20 years after he got stuck while chasing a 'raccoon' and starved to death in Georgia.

The dog, known as Stuckie, was discovered in 1980 when loggers for the Kraft Corporation cut the oak into logs.

They found the mummified hunting dog lodged in a hollow stretch near the top of the tree - and he is now the main attraction at Forest World, a tree museum in Waycross, Georgia.

Stuckie's body was mummified instead of decomposing because the updraft of air in the hollow tree trunk carried his scent away from insects.

Rather than send the section of the tree on to the sawmill, the loggers donated it to Forest World. The dog was named Stuckie following a 2002 naming contest.

It is estimated that he had been in the tree for approximately 20 years before the loggers discovered him.

Experts believe that he had probably chased after some small game, wedging himself into the hollow tree and climbing a whopping 28 feet up before becoming trapped.

How the hound became mummified inside the tree instead of rotting is a much more interesting question, though.

According to a press release from the museum, a chimney effect occurred in the hollow tree, resulting in an upward draft of air.

This caused the scent of the dead animal to be carried away, which otherwise would have attracted insects and other organisms that feed on dead animals.

In addition the hollow tree would also have provided relatively dry conditions, while the tannic acid of the oak would have helped to harden the animal's skin.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“Lassie! Rover is stuck in a hollow tree! Go get help!”

“Arf!”

20 years later...

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Ping Worthy?

[Zarro]

Stuckie? You can’t make this stuff up.

[Red Badger]

My sister lives in WAYCROSS!.................

[Zarro]

OH. He was named “Stuckie” after the fact. Nevermind.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

He was chasing a Keebler Elf!

[Red Badger]

[Charles Martel]

Sounds like one of Jerry Clower’s tales.

[heterosupremacist]

there once was a dog named 'stuckie' they say he was very unlucky he chased a beast expecting a feast and that's when things turned sucky! 8O)

[blueunicorn6]

I have a genuine black and white photo of Lassie with her paw print signature on it.

Lassie would have gone in to pull that dog out.

[Daffynition]

Candidate for *Bad Taxidermy* ...http://www.badtaxidermy.com/

[MplsSteve]

Poor dog.

I’ll bet its humans were sad that the dog was lost too.

[heterosupremacist]

there once was a dog named ‘stuckie’
they say he was very unlucky
he chased a beast expecting a feast
and that’s when things turned sucky! 8O)

format error...

[fwdude]

Racoon wins?

[Daffynition]

Proof that the Egyptians were here B4 the Spaniards.

[BenLurkin]

Horrible

[Diana in Wisconsin]

We raise Treeing Walker Coon Hounds for fun and profit. I can attest: they ARE this persistent when it comes to treeing Raccoon. Here is Seneca, trying to find a way into the house to get at the house cats...that just might REALLY be Raccoons!

[woodbutcher1963]

Gives a whole new meaning to “aged 20 years in oak cask”.

[Puppage]