How to Play Manhunt

By eHow Hobbies, Games & Toys Editor

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Manhunt is a large-scale game of hide-and-seek. It can be played in any outdoor area with definable borders, day or night.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Setting Up

Step1
Select an area appropriate for the number of players. A quarter of an acre per player is a practical guide.
Step2
Establish boundaries.
Step3
Establish a signal for the hunt to begin - car horn, air horn, or loud yell.
Step4
Choose whether you wish to start with a single hunter or two or three hunters for a large group.
Step5
Choose a time delay for players to hide before the hunt begins.
Step6
Select a method for tagging players. Either the hunter tags players or just calls out their names and hiding places.

Playing the Game

Step1
Give all hunted players a set amount of time to run and hide.
Step2
Signal the start of the hunt.
Step3
Begin searching the area if you are a hunter.
Step4
Become a new hunter if you are found.
Step5
End the game when all hidden players have been found.

Tips & Warnings

  • Keep moving instead of hiding in one place.
  • Don't hide in groups or let others know your hiding spots. Newly tagged hunters will check known hiding places first.
  • Wear dark or camouflage clothing and good running shoes.
  • At night, allow the hunter to carry a flashlight and tag people with the flashlight beam.
  • Avoid hiding inside buildings unless they are open barns or the like.
  • The last player found becomes the first hunter in the next game.
  • Avoid dark areas with cliffs, drop-offs, broken glass or traffic.

Comments

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poopww said

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on 4/20/2007 use riffles

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 8/21/2006 Countless years of my youth were spent playing this game. The playing field encompassed anywhere between 20 or 30 NYC blocks to the whole island of Manhattan! With as many as 600-700 players at a time! Of course with so many players, stealth was not usually encouraged, which is why we separated the 2-4 teams by color t-shirts. Each team established a base in the city, usually some landmark, i.e:Lincoln center, Time Square, Central Park, 34th street. Each base also served as a jail for captured prisoners from other teams guarded by a few members of the teams which was rotated. As transportation you can use pretty much anything, usually hopping the train was our best bet. A time limit was agreed upon by the team captains and the other players, which lasted anywhere between 1 day to whole summers! At the end of the time limit, the team with the most players remaining was declared the winner. As a reward the other members of the losing teams had to pay the winning team anywhere between 1 to 20 dollars (each member of the losing teams). As you can imagine playing at such a large scale things can get pretty hectic but boy was it fun!

Just picture this:
A team that has lost many members being "hunted" by a coalition of other teams just so that they can be eliminated, the losing team in a last ditch effort to "free" their members decide to launch an all out "banzai" attack at the enemies base to free their captured teammates; The other teams get wind of this plan through various spies and set traps (so many memories). Picture a scene from Braveheart when the two armies run to the center of the battlefield and then clash. And the Prisoners forming a long chain of 50 to 100 guys.

Looking back that game was what kept me off the streets and out of gangs; I guess the game took over those roles but in a healthy way. Anyway thats my story of extreme manhunt, hopefully future generations would play it just as we did growing up.

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 8/8/2006 Don't always try to run away when seekers are coming and you're behind a tree. Try to stay flat on the ground and there will be a good chance of them overlooking you; that is, if you listened to the one tip about wearing dark clothing or camo. Tree's are the best obstacles to hide behind.

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 8/8/2006 Don't go into any yards where you know there is a dog, you could get bit and then the game wouldn't be that much fun anymore. Watch out for the mean dogs, but if you know they are nice doge there, then you're in luck for a great hiding spot nearby. I know from experience!

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 6/30/2006 The sites that don't tell you to avoid trespassing on private property are irresponsible. To avoid problems with neighbors, and possible accidents that could occur when a neighbor believes they are protecting their property against potential criminals, play only in the yards owned by the players and their families, vacant lots, etc. Private yards are off-limits!

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eHow Article:  How to Play Manhunt

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