Woodsmen’s competitions as we know them today started back in 1947 at Dartmouth College. That was the year Ross McKenny, Billy Robes, and Nate Whiteside organized what was called “Woodsmen’s Weekend,” better known today as “Spring Meet”. The sport was organized to stimulate interest in ‘out-of-door crafts’ through inter-collegiate competition.
Early events consisted of pulp toss, pack board relay, fire build, felling and twitching, sawing, chopping, canoeing, log rolling, and wood splitting. Today’s events mirror the spirit and intent of the founders by promoting collegiate woodsmen competition for both men and women athletes. UNH fielded their first team in the early 1960s and the tradition continues today.
Its constitution states:
“The purpose of the University of New Hampshire Woodsmen's Team shall be to promote an interest and active participation in various skills of the woods. These skills shall be fostered through practice and inter-collegiate competition while promoting teamwork among members and fellowship among competitors in the spirit of the old Woodsmen tradition.”
Today’s competitions see teams from, Dartmouth College, Colby College, University of Vermont, University of Maine, University of Connecticut, Maine Maritime Academy, Paul Smith’s College, SUNY ESF Ranger, Finger Lakes Community College, SUNY-Morrisville, SUNY-Cobleskill, SUNY-ESF, and UNH still competing in the Northeast. In addition, there is the Canadian Intercollegiate Lumberjack Association, which consists of Algonquin College, McGill University, Nova Scotia Agricultural College, Sir Sanford Fleming College, University of New Brunswick, and Lakehead University.
