C172 PLT TAXIED OFF THE RWY TO CLR FOR A LNDG ACFT. HE HIT AND BENT THE ACFT TAIL SKID TIE-DOWN.

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RWY 27 WAS THE ACTIVE AT JACKSON COUNTY ARPT; GA (19A); AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. NO PAVED TXWY IS AVAILABLE FOR THIS RWY. A RUN-UP PAD IS AVAILABLE AT THE APCH END; BUT IT IS NOT VISIBLE UNTIL ACTUALLY THERE AT THE APCH END. I BACK-TAXIED ON THE RWY TO THE RUN-UP PAD; BUT IT WAS OCCUPIED BY ANOTHER ACFT WHEN I GOT THERE. A THIRD ACFT WAS ON DOWNWIND; TURNING TO BASE; FOR LNDG AT THE SAME TIME. IN AN EFFORT TO EXPEDITE TFC FLOW AT WHAT HAD BECOME A BUSY SATURDAY AT THE ARPT; I TAXIED OFF THE PAVED RWY SURFACE ONTO THE ADJACENT TURF SHOULDER AREA. AFTER THE ACFT IN THE PATTERN HAD LANDED AND THE ONE IN THE RUN-UP PAD HAD EXITED AND DEPARTED; I TAXIED BACK ONTO THE RWY. APPARENTLY; THERE WAS A SMALL DROP FROM THE PAVEMENT TO THE TURF AND; IN THE PROCESS OF RETURNING TO THE RWY; THE TAILSKID OF THE ACFT STRUCK THE TURF; BENDING THE TAILSKID AND TIE-DOWN RING. I DID NOT DISCOVER THE DAMAGE UNTIL ARRIVING AT DNL TO DEPLANE MY PAX. DURING MY POSTFLT INSPECTION OF THE ACFT; I NOTED THE GEORGIA CLAY ADHERING TO THE DAMAGED TAILSKID. NO OTHER DAMAGE TO THE ACFT WAS APPARENT IN THE FORM OF BENT ALUMINUM SKIN OR POPPED RIVETS. I CONCLUDED THIS WAS ONLY MINOR DAMAGE; THE ACFT REMAINED AIRWORTHY; AND NO RPT WOULD BE REQUIRED UNDER NTSB REGS. I COMPLETED THE MISSION; THEREFORE; AND FLEW THE ACFT BACK TO ITS HOME BASE AT RYY. I BELIEVE THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IN SEVERAL WAYS. FIRST OF ALL; I SHOULD NOT HAVE ASSUMED THE RUN-UP PAD WAS AVAILABLE BEFORE LEAVING THE RAMP TO BACK-TAXI ON THE ACTIVE RWY. BETTER PLANNING ON MY PART WOULD HAVE BEEN TO COMPLETE ALL MY PREFLT CHKLISTS PRIOR TO LEAVING THE RAMP AREA. BY SO DOING; I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A POS TO IMMEDIATELY TAKE OFF UPON REACHING THE APCH END OF THE RWY. THIS WOULD HAVE AVOIDED THE TFC CONFLICT THAT DEVELOPED. ALTERNATIVELY; IN THE CASE WHERE I NEEDED TO USE THE RUN-UP AREA AND FOUND IT OCCUPIED; I SHOULD HAVE BROADCAST THE SIT ON THE CTAF AND ASKED THE LNDG TFC TO MAKE ANOTHER CIRCUIT. CLRING THE RWY ONTO A TURF AREA NOT INTENDED FOR ACFT GND MOVEMENT WAS A BAD CHOICE AND SHOWED A LACK OF GOOD JUDGEMENT. THIS MAY HAVE BEEN AT LEAST PARTIALLY DUE TO THE FACT THE INCIDENT OCCURRED IN THE LATTER HALF OF A LONG AND BUSY DAY WHEN FATIGUE MAY HAVE BEEN A FACTOR. ALSO; THERE WAS THE FACTOR OF 'DESTINATIONITIS' OR A DESIRE TO COMPLETE THE ASSIGNED MISSION IN THE REMAINING DAYLIGHT AND RETURN TO BASE. I MUST LEARN TO RECOGNIZE THESE HUMAN FACTORS AND COMPENSATE FOR THEM IN MY DECISION-MAKING AND PLANNING PROCESS.