Earning the Archery Badge in Camp Whittlewood is one of three mandatory badge trials required to progress through Day 2 and reach S'mores Night. However, when you arrive at the northwest archery range, the camp's bullies, Billy and Clipper, hog the only two available bows and refuse to give you a turn.
To earn the badge, you cannot simply wait in line or pick up stray arrows. Instead, you must exploit Billy's secret fear of spiders by capturing an arachnid in a jar and dropping it into the arrow barrel. Below is the complete step-by-step walkthrough detailing every item location and interaction needed to unlock the badge.
Prerequisites to Unlock the Badge Activity
Before the camp counselors open up the badge activities, you must first advance the story past the morning discovery on Day 2:
- Investigate the Morning Event: After waking up in the Squirrel cabin on Day 2, head outside to the lodge clearing to find the horrifying wooden statue of Dale, the camp cook.
- Eat Breakfast at the Lodge: Go inside the main lodge and interact with the buffet table to grab pancakes. Sit at a dining spot to finish your meal.
- Listen to Counselor Green: Once breakfast finishes, Counselor Green announces the three merit badge activities: Fire Starting at the lodge gravel pit, Arts and Crafts by the lake, and Archery Practice at the northwest range.
Once this announcement concludes, the NPCs disperse to their assigned stations, allowing you to begin the puzzle.
Step-by-Step Archery Badge Walkthrough
Step 1: Obtain the Wide-Mouth Jar
If you attempt to catch a spider with your bare hands, it will scurry away. You need a suitable glass container first.
- Location: Main Camp Lodge (Kitchen Area).
- Action: Enter the lodge where breakfast was served. Walk behind the service counter toward the kitchen area and interact with the counter surfaces. You will find a wide-mouth glass jar with a lid. Pick it up and add it to your inventory.
Step 2: Catch the Black Spider in the Old Mill
With the jar secured, make your way back along the hiking trail to the historic logging area visited during Day 1's leaf-collecting hike.
- Location: The Old Mill on the historic trail.
- Action: Enter the old wooden structure. In the main work area, interact with the heavy wooden crates to pull them aside, creating a stepping platform up toward the workbenches.
- Catching the Spider: Inspect the cobweb-covered carpentry workbench. A large black spider sits atop the wood. Select the jar from your inventory (or interact directly while carrying it) to safely scoop the spider inside.
Step 3: Clear Billy and Clipper from the Range
Head to the northwest corner of the campground to reach the archery range, where Counselor Green stands watch while Billy and Clipper hog the shooting line.
- Action: Approach the wooden barrel packed with practice arrows situated directly behind the shooting stations.
- Interaction: Open your inventory and use the jar containing the spider on the barrel of arrows.
- The Result: Konis empties the spider into the quiver barrel. Billy, who is petrified of bugs and spiders, panics upon spotting it and flees the range alongside Clipper, leaving the targets and equipment open.
Step 4: Shoot the Target and Claim Your Badge
With the lane cleared, step up to the shooting position to complete the marksmanship requirement.
- Shooting Controls: Stand at the open stall and hold Enter to draw your bowstring. Release Enter to loose the arrow downrange toward the circular archery target.
- Claiming the Badge: Once your arrow strikes the target (optionally hitting near the bullseye or knocking down the wooden squirrel target depending on your aim), walk over to Counselor Green.
- Reward: Counselor Green praises your precision and hands over the official Archery Badge.
Key Items Summary
| Item | Location | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Wide-Mouth Jar | Lodge kitchen counter | Captures the spider without letting it escape |
| Spider in a Jar | Old Mill carpentry workbench | Scares Billy away when emptied into the arrow barrel |
| Archery Badge | Northwest Archery Range | Awarded by Counselor Green after shooting a target |
Additional Tips and Details
- Learning Billy's Weakness: If you buy a can of soda from the office vending machine for 75 cents and gift it to Bugs in the lodge, Bugs reveals that tough-guy Billy is secretly terrified of spiders and drops whatever he is doing if he spots one. While hearing this dialogue is optional, it hints at the intended solution.
- Target Secrets: Practicing at the range can also dislodge a squirrel carving from the targets depending on where your shot lands. In specific puzzle routes, this wooden squirrel carving can be used for secondary distractions elsewhere in camp.
- The Three Badges: Remember that the Archery Badge is only one part of the requirement. You must also finish Haley's fire-starting barbecue task and make a friendship bracelet at the lakeshore before S'mores Night can commence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I pick up Billy's arrows to get a turn?
No. Although Billy claims he will let you shoot if you fetch his spent arrows, this is merely bully dialogue meant to distract you. There is no game prompt or mechanical interaction to retrieve arrows off the ground for him.
Where do I find the jar if it is not in the kitchen?
The wide-mouth jar spawns on the lodge kitchen counter during the morning hours. If you cannot interact with it, ensure you have finished eating your pancakes and listened to the counselor's morning announcement regarding badge activities.
Can I keep the bow after finishing archery practice?
No. The bow remains at the range for camp safety regulations. Counselor Green logs your completion and awards the Archery Badge directly into your inventory.
