Output Entry Type and/ or Category Total noob here.  Have managed to output entries and paginate them with this:

{% paginate craft.entries.section('woods').limit(5) as entries %}
    {% for entry in entries %}
        ....
    {% endfor %}
{% endpaginate %}


But I cannot figure out how to output just entries of a certain type or entries from a certain category within a category group.

{% paginate craft.entries.section('woods').type('mahogony').limit(5) %}
    {% for entry in entries %}
        ...
    {% endfor %}
{% endpaginate %}


ain't flying me anywhere but into a tree.

I'm sure it is something basic.
When you added the type param to your {% paginate %} tag, you removed the as entries bit, which is required. (That tells the tag what variable name it should give to the current page’s entries.)

{% paginate craft.entries.section('woods').type('mahogony').limit(5) as entries %}