Axe Throwing Rules: Scoring Zones, Distances & Safe Setup

• A throwing hatchet or axe (about a 1.5 lb head and roughly 14 in handle is beginner-friendly)
• A wooden target board made of stacked, end-grain or softwood planks so the blade can stick
• A target marked for the chosen scoring system; current WATL hatchet targets have five bullseyes and four Killshots
• A solid backstop wall behind the target to stop misses
• A marked 12-foot fault line for WATL hatchet play
• For kids and casual play: a soft-axe or magnetic axe-throwing set instead of a real blade

Need the gear? See our axe throwing picks before game day.

1. 01 Build a safe lane firstSet the target against a solid backstop with open space around it. Keep all bystanders well behind the throwing line, never downrange or to the sides. Confirm axe throwing is legal where you live before setting up.
2. 02 Mark the hatchet fault lineUse the 12-foot WATL hatchet fault line. Stay behind the required line and begin only when the lane is clear.
3. 03 Grip and throwHold the axe near the end of the handle with one or two hands, square your shoulders to the target, and bring the axe straight back over your head. Release smoothly toward the bullseye, letting the axe rotate once before it hits.
4. 04 Call and score the throwCall any Killshot before the throw and apply the current call and closure rules. If an axe falls before being scored, record zero. Score the axe in place without moving it.
5. 05 Score before retrievingWait until the lane is clear, agree each score while the axes remain in place, then retrieve them. Do not move an axe to decide its score or retrieve while someone is still throwing.
6. 06 Complete ten throwsEach player throws ten times and switches targets after throw five. Add both halves for the final total. A tie uses WATL Killshot sudden death, with scoring and measurement following that rulebook.

• WATL Recreational hatchet: rings score 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5; bullseyes score 6. Ordinary scoring zones stay open throughout the game.
• A called outer Killshot scores 7 and its inner area scores 8. Call the Killshot before throwing; each player begins with two optional calls per game.
• A successful Killshot closes both Killshots at that height for the game. Killshots do not reset after throw five.
• A drop before throw ten earns an additional Killshot call at the opposite height. A fault scores zero without earning an extra call.
• Score the highest valid zone touched by the valid scoring area; black ring boundary lines score the lower adjacent value. A drop, fault or miss scores zero. Score before moving the axe.
• Throw ten times and switch targets after five. Highest total wins; tied games use WATL Killshot sudden death.

Keeping score on paper? Print the free axe throwing score sheet. No signup needed.

• Magnetic or soft-axe sets: the safe choice for kids, parties, and indoor play, with no real blade.
• Amateur and Professional WATL divisions add closing rules for ordinary scoring zones. They are different from the Recreational format used here.
• Other venue games may use five-throw rounds or different bonus targets. Name that game and use its own scoring rather than mixing it with WATL.
• Closest to bullseye: simplest casual version, where the single throw nearest dead center wins the round.