Axe Throwing

 

 

 

Search  Inquiry Net

Back ] Home ] Up ] Next ]

Activities
Archery
Axe, Boy Scout
Axe, Saw, Forestry
Axe, Saw,  Knife
Axe Use: Beard
Axe Use: Seton
Axe Use: Traditional
Axe Throwing
Beds, Woodcraft
Bedding Materials
Bicycle Maintenance
Birch-Bark Torch
Birds
Bird Houses
Blocks Tackles Purchase
Blood Red Cross
Broom: Camp or Witch's
Buttons
Campcraft
Camp Hygiene
Camp Planning
Campfire Programs
Catapult
Chainsaws
Checklists
Chuck Box Riddance!
City-Craft
Compass Bear Song
Compass, Home-Made
Cooking
Cotton Kills Bear Song
Deduction in Tracking
Deduction & Detective
Drum
Dyes
Edible Plants
Equipment, Leader
Equipment, Personal
Equipment Maintenance
Equipment, Lightweight
Equip, Pickle Bucket Camp
Estimation
Field Signals
Fire-Building
Fire Building
Fire Laying
Fire Lighting
Fire Starters
Fire: Rubbing-Stick
Fire Types, Wood Types
Fire Council Ring
Fires: Woodcraft
First Aid
First Class Journey
Flint & Steel
Flowers
Forest
Gesture Signals
Ground to Air Signals
Handicraft Stunts
High Adventure
Hiking
Hike Planning
Indian Sundial Clock
Insect Collecting
Insect Preserve
Indian Well
Knife & Hatchet
Knots, Bends, Hitches
Knots: Diamond Hitch
Knots: Lashings
Knots: Rope Work
Knots: Seton
Knots: Traditional
Knots & Whipping
Lashings
Lashing Practice Box
Lace or Thong
Learn by Doing
Leave No Trace
Leave No Trace
Lights
Local Knowledge
Log Ladders, Notched
Log-Rolling
Logs: Cut Notch
Logs Split with Axe
Loom and Grass Mats
Lost in the Woods
Manners
Maps
Map & Compass
Maps: Without Compass
Measurement
Measurement Estimation
Menu Worksheet
Menu (Adult IOLS)
Mosquitoes
Mushrooms
Night Tracking
Observation
Old Trails
Paints
Pioneering, Basic
Pioneering Models
Plaster Casts
Preparations
Proverbs
Rake
Rope Care
Rope Making
Rope Spinning
Scout Reports
Signal & Sign
Sign Language
Silent Scout Signals
Smoke Prints
Snakes
Spanish Windlass
Spoons
Staff/Stave Making
Stalking Skills
Stalking & Observation
Stars
Stools
Story Telling
Stoves & Lanterns
Summoning Help
Sun Dial: Scientific
Survival Kit
Tarp Poles
Teepee (4 Pole)
Tent Care
Tent Pitching
Tom-Tom
Tomahawk Throwing
Tomahawk Targets
Totem Making
Totem Animals
Totem Poles
Training in Tracking
Tracks, Ground, Weather
Tracking & Trailing
Trail Following
Trail Signs & Blazes
Trail Signs of Direction
Trail Signs: Traditional
Trail Signs for Help
Trees of the NE
Wall Hangings
Watch Compass
Weather Wisdom
Wild Things

Scout Books

Site Contents

By Peter McLaren


The Unique ceremony of burying the axe in the War Post, at the Outdoor School of Dan Beard, National Commissioner, Boy Scouts of America.  Mr. Beard (the figure to the right of the boy throwing) says, "All the axes in the War Post are Plumb Axes."

Axe Throwing is Fascinating 

A number of times in my work with scouts, I have demonstrated how to throw the axe at a target. Scouts have taken to the game avidly, and soon there would be a spirited competition under way. 

The knack is easily acquired, and the game has a certain thrill which appeals to every boy. 

The rules are simple: First a throwing board is made if contests are to be held indoors. 

This should be constructed of yellow pine or some similar wood three inches thick. It should be at least six feet high and twenty inches wide. This may be constructed of two boards, six feet long and ten or twelve inches wide, fastened with three cross-pieces at the back. 

Fasten the throwing board securely to a wall. Then paint a bull's-eye target, circular in shape, and twelve inches in diameter. 

Mark a point four feet from the floor as the center of your target. Make the first circle three inches in diameter with your mark as the center point of this circle. 

Your next circle should be seven and one-half inches in diameter, using the same point as center, and your third circle, twelve inches in diameter. 

This gives three scoring rings, and they should be numbered as follows; Bull's eye--5; middle ring--3; outer ring--1. The score is determined by the ring in which the top of the axe blade imbeds.

Safety line.-- Mark on the floor, a safety line eight feet wide (four feet on each side from center of the target), extending it back for a distance of twenty feet. 

This is the throwing alley, or safety zone, and no one must be permitted within it except the boy throwing. Use ropes as safety lines and permit no boys behind the target, or close to the boy throwing. 

Distance of Throw.-- The minimum distance for a throw is nine feet. Mark a line at a point this distance from the target over which contestants must not step. 

The knack in throwing is to discover your correct distance--a point from which the Scout Axe will turn so that the blade will stick in the target. 

To locate your proper distance try a few practice throws starting at the twelve-foot point, and moving forward or backward until the axe makes the proper turn and strikes the target, blade first. Then you can practice for accuracy. 

When a contest is held, the first boy should step into position with his scout axe held at his side by the end of the handle. He should take a firm stance with the feet spread apart and the weight of the body resting on the right foot. The aim is taken, not by sighting along the axe, but by fixing the eyes on the target, and raising the axe until the edge is on a level with the eyes. In this position the edge, and handle of axe should form a vertical line with the forearm and elbow. The axe is then brought back over the shoulder without turning the edge to one side or the other, and thrown from this position with a natural forward sweep of the arm, swinging the body forward as the axe is thrown. See Figure 63.


Fig. 63. 
Always keep the axe blade in a direct line with the target and throw the axe with a free forward swing.

  Each boy is entitled to three throws in succession but no axe must be thrown while another is sticking in the target. 

No attempt should be made to spin the axe in the air. The weight of the head will cause it to revolve as it speeds towards the target. 

For Outdoors.--The same sort of a throwing board, as described for indoor use, may be used outdoors by fastening it to a post or fence. Or a portable target may be used as shown in Figure 63. 

Always observe the safety precautions whether in doors or out in the woods. Never fasten a target to a growing tree. 

Advanced Throwing.--As boys become proficient in throwing the axe, they should practice throwing from a greater distance. Throwing teams may be organized, each member of the team throwing at a particular spot in the target, so that a design, or pattern, is formed by the axes after all have thrown. 

See Also:

Dan Beard's "How to Throw a Tomahawk"

and How to Play Mumble the Peg

The Boys' Axe

The Boy Scout and His Axe

 

 

   

 

 


Additional Information:

Peer- Level Topic Links:
Activities ] Archery ] Axe, Boy Scout ] Axe, Saw, Forestry ] Axe, Saw,  Knife ] Axe Use: Beard ] Axe Use: Seton ] Axe Use: Traditional ] [ Axe Throwing ] Beds, Woodcraft ] Bedding Materials ] Bicycle Maintenance ] Birch-Bark Torch ] Birds ] Bird Houses ] Blocks Tackles Purchase ] Blood Red Cross ] Broom: Camp or Witch's ] Buttons ] Campcraft ] Camp Hygiene ] Camp Planning ] Campfire Programs ] Catapult ] Chainsaws ] Checklists ] Chuck Box Riddance! ] City-Craft ] Compass Bear Song ] Compass, Home-Made ] Cooking ] Cotton Kills Bear Song ] Deduction in Tracking ] Deduction & Detective ] Drum ] Dyes ] Edible Plants ] Equipment, Leader ] Equipment, Personal ] Equipment Maintenance ] Equipment, Lightweight ] Equip, Pickle Bucket Camp ] Estimation ] Field Signals ] Fire-Building ] Fire Building ] Fire Laying ] Fire Lighting ] Fire Starters ] Fire: Rubbing-Stick ] Fire Types, Wood Types ] Fire Council Ring ] Fires: Woodcraft ] First Aid ] First Class Journey ] Flint & Steel ] Flowers ] Forest ] Gesture Signals ] Ground to Air Signals ] Handicraft Stunts ] High Adventure ] Hiking ] Hike Planning ] Indian Sundial Clock ] Insect Collecting ] Insect Preserve ] Indian Well ] Knife & Hatchet ] Knots, Bends, Hitches ] Knots: Diamond Hitch ] Knots: Lashings ] Knots: Rope Work ] Knots: Seton ] Knots: Traditional ] Knots & Whipping ] Lashings ] Lashing Practice Box ] Lace or Thong ] Learn by Doing ] Leave No Trace ] Leave No Trace ] Lights ] Local Knowledge ] Log Ladders, Notched ] Log-Rolling ] Logs: Cut Notch ] Logs Split with Axe ] Loom and Grass Mats ] Lost in the Woods ] Manners ] Maps ] Map & Compass ] Maps: Without Compass ] Measurement ] Measurement Estimation ] Menu Worksheet ] Menu (Adult IOLS) ] Mosquitoes ] Mushrooms ] Night Tracking ] Observation ] Old Trails ] Paints ] Pioneering, Basic ] Pioneering Models ] Plaster Casts ] Preparations ] Proverbs ] Rake ] Rope Care ] Rope Making ] Rope Spinning ] Scout Reports ] Signal & Sign ] Sign Language ] Silent Scout Signals ] Smoke Prints ] Snakes ] Spanish Windlass ] Spoons ] Staff/Stave Making ] Stalking Skills ] Stalking & Observation ] Stars ] Stools ] Story Telling ] Stoves & Lanterns ] Summoning Help ] Sun Dial: Scientific ] Survival Kit ] Tarp Poles ] Teepee (4 Pole) ] Tent Care ] Tent Pitching ] Tom-Tom ] Tomahawk Throwing ] Tomahawk Targets ] Totem Making ] Totem Animals ] Totem Poles ] Training in Tracking ] Tracks, Ground, Weather ] Tracking & Trailing ] Trail Following ] Trail Signs & Blazes ] Trail Signs of Direction ] Trail Signs: Traditional ] Trail Signs for Help ] Trees of the NE ] Wall Hangings ] Watch Compass ] Weather Wisdom ] Wild Things ]

Parent- Level Topic Links:
Scuba ] Skills ] Games ] Shelter ] Fire ] Night ] B-P's Camping ] Hikes ] Indian ] Spring ] Summer ] Autumn ] Winter ]

The Inquiry Net Main Topic Links:
 [Outdoor Skills]  [Patrol Method [Old-School]  [Adults [Advancement]  [Ideals]  [Leadership]  [Uniforms]

Search This Site:

Search Amazon.Com:

When you place an order with Amazon.Com using the search box below, a small referral fee is returned to The Inquiry Net to help defer the expense of keeping us online.  Thank you for your consideration!

Search:

Keywords:

Amazon Logo

 

 

Scout Books Trading Post

Dead Bugs, Blow Guns, Sharp Knives, & Snakes:
What More Could A Boy Want?

Old School Scouting:
What to Do, and How to Do It!

To Email me, replace "(at)" below with "@"
Rick(at)Kudu.Net

If you have questions about one of my 2,000 pages here, you must send me the "URL" of the page!
This "URL" is sometimes called the "Address" and it is usually found in a little box near the top of your screen.  Most URLs start with the letters "http://"

The Kudu Net is a backup "mirror" of The Inquiry Net.  

©2003, 2011 The Inquiry Net, http://inquiry.net  In addition to any Copyright still held by the original authors, the Scans, Optical Character Recognition, extensive Editing,  and HTML Coding on this Website are the property of the Webmaster.   My work may be used by individuals for non-commercial, non-web-based activities, such as Scouting, research, teaching, and personal use so long as this copyright statement and a URL to my material is included in the text
The purpose of this Website is to provide access  to hard to find, out-of-print documents.  Much of the content has been edited to be of practical use in today's world and is not intended as historical preservation.   I will be happy to provide scans of specific short passages in the original documents for people involved in academic research.  

 

Last modified: October 15, 2016.