Seems to me that everyone they kill is frozen in place by fear. Nobody they have killed seems to fight back and those who flee seem to get away (Ray, the couple that "Got a light?" man confronted in their car). Gordon, Albert, and Diane don't seem to be afraid of them. Tammy and detective Mackley don't seem to be able to see them (yet?). So is being petrified with fear the key? 

The woodsman didn't kill Hastings when he was in prison, which he could have easily done so. 

We also do not see the FBI talking about these odd killings with no apparent cause. I.e. there aren't enough of them for the FBI to be going nuts. 

This leads me to suspect that either:

A) the killing was possible due to proximity to the portal. 

B) the experiment is unleashed and therefore the woodsmen have more presence in our world to do these things.

I appreciate it doesn't answer your question about why they killed Hastings. I have no ideas about that. Perhaps he had more information from Briggs to share which the Black Lodge wanted to prevent from being leaked?

1956 seemed like exceptional circumstances, Ashy woodsmen rampaging across the dessert is hardly everyday even in TP, maybe they are limited by some metric we don't understand, able to interact and do certain things according to how much evil there is or even how much fear there is present?

This may have already been addressed elsewhere (if so, kindly post a link, won't you?) ....

... but does anyone have any guesses as to why the Woodmsen in Buckhorn appear and disappear from view before killing anonymously without being seen...  while 'Abraham Lincoln' kills in a "hands-on" way?

I agree with Sweeney: everyone they kill is frozen in place by fear.
Fear and love open all the doors.
If you are weak (and you feel fear), you dead.

I am toying with the idea that Diane's message lead to the 'hit' on Bill.  She was updating someone that Bill was aiding the FBI/Police and that someone determined he was a problem.  By just targeting him they take out the risk while minimizing the exposure (by not taking  out 3 FBI agents, a police officer, a murder suspect, and a former FBI employee).

Posted by: Charlie

I am toying with the idea that Diane's message lead to the 'hit' on Bill.  She was updating someone that Bill was aiding the FBI/Police and that someone determined he was a problem.  By just targeting him they take out the risk while minimizing the exposure (by not taking  out 3 FBI agents, a police officer, a murder suspect, and a former FBI employee).

That seems viable. 

Fear is what sent them after Hastings, in my opinion. 

But Ray was pretty alarmed as well, and they didn't come after him.  I don't think they were fully "there" though.  That was more like spectral Woodsmen.  

I reckon that they only kill those who are afraid, specifically truly petrified beyond reason (reason being the urge to run, which may be why Ray got away). I theorise this is because the negative emotions/garmonbozia created from the killing of someone fully petrified is created in large quantities.

Also, remember when BOB took the garmonbozia from Leland? What form did it take? Blood. Perhaps the blood from the shattered skull is the garmonbozia. Just a thought.

I've asked what did she mouth??  I'm going to view the scene again...it is a definite mouthing.  I thought it was go ahead but not too sure

Posted by: Trina Jones

I've asked what did she mouth??  I'm going to view the scene again...it is a definite mouthing.  I thought it was go ahead but not too sure

good chance she muttered, "F*** You Woodsman!"

Ok I'm thinking it looks like NOW is what she mouthed.  I noticed she kinda twitches her mouth anyhow but definitely when looking at coordinate numbers she's reciting them to remember