Last episode
Untethered
s10e10 · 2019-09-13
Ended · US
Ax Men
History Reality
What it is
For more than a hundred years, larger than life characters, many of whom are members of logging families who go back to the time when the West was being settled, have spent their days among towering trees and powerful machines and their nights in outposts far from the comforts of civilization. Ax Men tells their remarkable story, detailing the history of the logging industry and how technology has transformed life for today's logger, while the struggle of man versus nature stays the same. Danger is a full-time job, as these brave men put everything on the line each and every day to retrieve timber. Snapped cables, runaway logs and razor-sharp chainsaws are just some of the dangers that threaten their lives daily. Even with new technology that should make the job easier, it all boils down to the toughness and perseverance of the logging crews. Anything and everything can and does go wrong. Not everyone will survive, but those who do will earn their place in a long line of men who call themselves Ax Men.
Episode highlights
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Episode guide
20 this season · 164 totals05e01 Ax is Back 2012-01-09 02:00
Ax is Back
Papac returns as reigning king of the mountain; Shelby Stanga has a gruesome accident.
s05e02 Damage Control 2012-01-16 02:00
Damage Control
Swamp Man Shelby Stanga is hired to remove a log from private property, but complications lead to disaster. Infighting reaches a fever pitch at S&S Aqua Logging, while the competition has a run-in with Mother Nature. A familiar face returns to Papac, much to Coatsy's dismay. Gabe Rygaard takes Dave out cutting, but things go awry. And the rookies of Big Gun Logging are adding to their ranks.
s05e03 No Pain, No Gain 2012-01-23 02:00
No Pain, No Gain
Jimmy Smith is smitten with his new assistant, while rivals Uncle Buck and Swilley push their equipment to the breaking point. Shelby Stanga scouts his newest log order with his darling wife Donna. Big Gun Logging faces an uncertain future when owner Levi Brown is admitted to the hospital. And at Rygaard and Papac, the chainsaws bite back.
s05e04 Hell Hole 2012-01-30 02:00
Hell Hole
At Papac Alaska, the site is turned upside down when the yarder operator walks off in the middle of the day. In Florida, Swilley's determination to beat S&S in the Suwannee River Log Off leads to a life threatening mistake. With their leader still in the hospital, Big Gun Logging loses control of the Ole Keasy site. At Rygaard, the rigging crew is learning safety lessons the hard way. And in the swamp, the bigger they are, the harder they fall.
s05e05 Cowboy Up 2012-02-13 02:00
Cowboy Up
Start-up outfit Big Gun Logging hits a snag as their deadline approaches. In Florida, Buck & Swilley make a run for the lead in the Log-Off while Jimmy deals with a crew crisis. Shelby Stanga enlists the help of a voodoo team to get his cousin's ghost under wraps. In Washington, a string of accidents on Craig's watch threatens to shut down the site. And in the mountains Montana, a new company joins the ranks of the Ax Men, forcing everyone to 'cowboy up!'
s05e06 Fists of Fury 2012-02-20 02:00
Fists of Fury
It's a fight to the death between Shelby Stanga and a massive standing tree. At Rygaard, the bad blood between Dave and Fernando boils over. In Alaska, Papac's men are on the run when two machines get tangled up while in Florida, Buck and Swilley raise the stakes. And in Montana, the newcomers from Siderius Logging are gambling on life and limb.
s05e07 Wake-up Call 2012-02-27 02:00
Wake-up Call
Shelby Stanga takes his newest assistant loggin' and froggin'. In Montana, young Siderius cutter Travis earns his stripes when he's forced into a deadly situation. The father and son team of S&S hits bottom, then hits gold. In Washington, a close call puts an end to the infighting, and at Papac, Joe lets loose.
s05e08 Out of Control 2012-03-05 02:00
Out of Control
Big Gun Logging is back to face sheer rock cliffs and a new crop of greenhorns. At Papac, a widow-maker threatens to take out Coatsy and the camera crew. At Rygaard, a gamble gets out of control, causing a blowout between father and son. On the Suwanee River, Jimmy and James hit rock bottom, as Buck and Swilley discover a dangerous sweet spot. And in Louisiana, Shelby and his cousin Kelly are on the hunt.
s05e09 Rygaard vs. Rygaard 2012-03-12 01:00
Rygaard vs. Rygaard
After years of infighting, Jimmy and James Smith seek the help of a professional anger management counselor. Gabe Rygaard unveils a bold new plan to run two yarders on the same site. In Oregon, one of Big Gun's greenhorns faces the end of the line. In the swamp, Shelby takes on an assistant who puts him in his place. And in the mountains of Virginia, a new crew of horse loggers is out to show the world that they can run with the big boys.
s05e10 Down & Dirty 2012-03-19 01:00
Down & Dirty
The season hits the halfway mark, and everyone is upping his game. In the swamp, Shelby and cousin Belinda are under the gun to find a huge Cypress. In Florida, S&S hires a new diver but says goodbye to an old one. In Montana, the cowboys of Siderius must break in their greenhorn without breaking him for good. And at Rygaard, two yarders bring in twice the wood and twice the trouble.
s05e11 Let 'Er Rip 2012-03-26 01:00
Let 'Er Rip
As the season moves on, everyone's going to greater lengths to stay on top. At Papac, an accident sends one man over the edge of the landing. In horse country, the loggers take to new heights in order to get the final tree of the job on the ground. At Siderius, greenhorn Jesse Kelleher is in need of redemption. And in the bayou, the swamp man gets into a shootout with another logger who's after Shelby's profits.
s05e12 Burning the Bear 2012-04-02 01:00
Burning the Bear
In the swamp, the battle between Shelby Stanga and his nemesis Richard comes to a head. On the river, Buck and Swilley's boat goes boom. At Big Gun, one of their greenhorns shows his dark side. And at Papac, Joe and Coatsy bury the hatchet.
s05e13 Where's Willy 2012-04-09 01:00
Where's Willy
On the mountain, Gabe's two-yarder plan goes further off track when one crew member defects to the other team. Big Gun races their tightest deadline yet, while in Alaska, Joe and the new guy get into it. On the river, an accident could take S&S out of the Log-Off for good, and in the swamp, Shelby's trusty assistant Willy goes missing.
s05e14 Falling Apart 2012-04-23 01:00
Falling Apart
From Alaska to the bayou, the hits are coming fast and hard. At Rygaard, a crew shakeup leaves everyone scrambling. In Florida, the tides are turning as S&S suffers a blow while Buck & Swilley get unexpected help from James. In Alaska, Papac takes to the open seas for a fishing trip, while, Big Gun must bring in a new yarder operator to have a chance at conquering their dangerous downhill site. And in the swamp, an accident may cost Shelby another one of his assistants.
s05e15 Up in Flames 2012-04-23 02:00
Up in Flames
As the season enters the homestretch, everyone is risking more to stay on top. Jimmy Smith braves the depths of the Suwannee River for the first time in three years, but his fears may get the better of him. In the swamp, Shelby also takes on an old enemy--the log that flipped his winch last season. In Montana, the boys of Siderius are playing fast and loose, while at Rygaard, the crew pushes their yarder to the brink of disaster.
s05e16 Family Rivalry 2012-04-30 01:00
Family Rivalry
At Rygaard, Gabe's two yarder sides are reunited, but the infighting that's plagued them all year is worse than ever. In Florida, the alliance between Team Buck and James Smith comes to a bitter end. At Papac, Joe's hard-yarding style sends the rigging crew running for cover. In the swamp, Shelby Stanga won't stop until he gets his revenge. And in New Hampshire, two new teams of ox loggers enter the race.
s05e17 Swamp Gold 2012-05-07 01:00
Swamp Gold
While on a night mission, Shelby finds something that could lead to a bigger payday than he's ever seen. In Washington, Craig and Wayne plot a prank to teach Dave a lesson. In New Hampshire, personality differences between the ox loggers cause walk-offs on both sides. And on the Suwannee, James returns to S&S but steers he and Brad right into danger.
s05e18 Up in Smoke 2012-05-14 01:00
Up in Smoke
With three weeks to go, the final race to be King of the Mountain is in full swing. In the swamp, Shelby's chasing buried gold in Lake Ponchartrain. In Florida, a surprising end to the log-off forces sudden death. At Big Gun, a greenhorn's mistake could cost them the season's profits. And in Montana and New Hampshire, the ox loggers and cowboys of Siderius are fighting to finish their seasons strong.
s05e19 Betting It All 2012-05-21 01:00
Betting It All
From Alaska to Florida, one of the toughest seasons on record is almost over. At Papac, pushing hard pushes Joe to his breaking point, while at Rygaard, Dave has officially worn out his welcome. On the Suwannee, the teams are fighting to win the final round of the Log-Off, but a season's worth of bad blood between Jimmy and James comes to a head. In Louisiana, the Swamp Man gambles on a helicopter to search for a multi-million dollar sunken log raft.
s05e20 The Ax Stops Here 2012-05-21 02:00
The Ax Stops Here
It's the nail-biting conclusion of the race to be crowned King of the Mountain. While Papac battles to bring their yarder operator back from the brink, Craig Rygaard forces Gabe to choose between him and Dave. At Big Gun, Levi drops a bomb, while in the swamps of Louisiana, Shelby's in a desperate race to find swamp gold. And in Florida, the Great Suwannee River Log-Off comes to a close, but when Jimmy doesn't like the results, he takes matters into his own hands.