Troop 326 Scouts, do you have what it takes to be a Mountain Man? As we prepare for our upcoming Mountain Man Campout on February 19-21, here are some articles and pictures to help you think, act, and dress like a Mountain Man!
Throwing A Tomahawk
To begin. stand in front of the target with your back to it. Take between five and seven steps. Turn and face the block. Hold the tomahawk by the end of the handle just as if you were going to chop wood. Throw it just as you would a baseball and it will turn by itself. Do not flip your wrist. You do not have to throw it very hard. Stare at where you want the tomahawk to stick.
The trick is to throw it the same every time. From five to seven steps away, the tomahawk should rotate one turn and stick in the block with the handle pointing down. If it doesn't stick, you will have to move closer or farther away. If the tomahawk hits the block before it makes one full turn, then move farther away. If it turns more than one turn before it reaches the block, move closer. Put a marker on the ground so you know exactly where you stood when you threw.
Throwing A Knife
To begin. stand in front of the target with your back to it. Take between five and seven steps. Turn and face the block. Hold the knife by the handle, not the point. Throw it just as you would a baseball and it will turn by itself. Do not flip your wrist. You do not have to throw it very hard. Stare at where you want the knife to go.
The trick is to throw it the same every time. If it doesn't stick, you will have to move closer or farther away. From five to seven steps away, the knife should rotate one turn and stick in the block with the handle pointing slighty up. If the knife hits the block before it makes one full turn, then move farther away. If it turns more than one turn before it reaches the block, move closer. Put a marker on the ground so you know exactly where you stood when you threw.
For further reading:
How to Shoot a Muzzle Loader (gif image)
Mountain Man Camping (pdf file)
Mountain Man Clothing (pdf file)
