Manhunt!

Also known as Fugitive, Manhunt is a game that requires little set up and no equipment. All that is needed is a playing area that has some concealment (basically you can't play in an open field) and some friends to play with.

Step 1 Rules

The rules of Manhunt are simple as it is basically Hide and Seek in reverse, a single person or a small group hides while everyone else seeks, or looks for them. The game goes on until all the hiders (fugitives) have been found and tagged by the seekers (also called cops or hunters). The last hider to be tagged gets to pick the hider(s) for the next round.

Comments

[nfk11]

could you use airsoft guns

[Kirby1]

It reminds me of game called "hide and seek" (also known as "tigy") you can play in a park or anywhere and there is two ways to play either it's build up thats where there is 1 seeker and how many ever hiders. You get about 20 seconds off and the hiders go hide while the seeker counts to 20 with his/her eyes closed. When the seeker tags a hider than the hider also becomes a seeker and so on.
The other version has all the same rules except when you get tagged by a seeker and you are a hider you are out of the game. (And can't get back into the game until everyone is found).

[eulaliaaaa!]

I don't know.  Would a 40 acre piece of land with lots of woods and no trails be good?

[ELMo_0007]

40 acres seems rather large.  Maybe if you set boundaries within the property?  As for no trails, that makes it much more fun to be a hider, but really hard on the seekers, so be sure to set a time limit.

[jmicko]

We used to play a version called Sasquatch, where when anyone found the hider they would yell sasquatch and everyone would run to the base which is safe. the Sasquatch had to chase them upon being found, but could jump out at them any time he wanted. first person tagged is the next sasquatch.

[ELMo_0007]

Sorry I took so long to reply, but "sasquatch" has now been added to the list.  Thanks for contributing!

[punkhead58]

That sounds a lot like a game that we used to play when we were kids called A Ghost in the Graveyard.

[captaincrackers]

Ghosts in the graveyard is very similar, but multiple people hide, and one person finds. After each round, those who were found join the seekers, correct?

[shveet]

Actually me and a few friends play something similar, we call it  "one man army"  its technically everyone looking for a single person, but the way to win is when the timer (usually 5-15 minutes for us) hits zero (or whatever)the game ends. This is best to be played at night and with about 10 or so people, the seekers may use flashlights, and if the hider is spotted... wish him luck, game becomes intense with the more people.
Another veriation is "army of two" same as above, just with two hiders.
Optional: the hider can use infrared goggles or a gillie suit, and a headset to communicate with others.

[PKTraceur]

Idisagree with Long distance. The max should be three miles, WITHOUT CARS! i think the cars defeat the idea. Also, please add Snowhunt. Same as manhunt, though in winter. seekers are allowed to hit hiders with snow balls.

[r0ker]

 With the whole Snowhunt idea, my friend and I played it in reverse, and with airsoft guns. The hunted could through snowballs and the seeker (we only had 3 people playing) had an airsoft gun.

[bears0]

there is also a game called SARDINES in a can like posted here

[bears0]

have you ever played spotlight tag or flashlight tag? its pretty much the same as hide and go seek but you tag with a spotlight and then the players go to jail like here and someone has to come and tag the base to set them free. no guarding the base though. :-}

[bears0]

the muggles thing isnt very good because it would just make it easier for the seeker

[murderme13]

nine or ten of us tried playing in the pit at a slipknot gig. um... I wouldn't recommend it for safety, but was very fun!

******** DO NOT PLAY AT FESTIVALS!!!!! SEEKERS WILL NOT FIND ANYONE!!!!! ********

[tac135]

I know it sounds creepy, but i always play in the really large cemetary across from my house. Its a great place to play because the grave stones make great cover.

[ELMo_0007]

That's not creepy at all. I find cemeteries to be peaceful places and I love playing tag or geocaching in them. The only problem is that sometimes the cemetery workers get upset.

[crak-a-bottle]

i just got this image of people all over the world suddenly having fits because there's, like, 30 kids walking 9or more likely running) over their graves . . .

im a bit weird like that.

=D

[tac135]

I don't find it creepy either, but a lot of people do, for some reason. Anyway, we play a variant where everyone splits into teams of 2, and one team is the seeker team. If you abandon your partner than you are disqualified, and the seekers only have to tag one of the teams members to get that team out. You can also play so nobody knows who the seeker is, it makes it a lot more challenging.

[ELMo_0007]

Thanks for sharing, I've added it to the list.

[oniman7]

I don't find it creepy, but what about that whole "respecting the dead" thing. And what if there were families there mourning when you showed up to play?

[emopants92]

Yeah there is always a fugitive game going on. But these get a little out of control. The ones that I always here about start in a park with about 20 people typicaly played and everyone has to stay in the general area of the park. But with the added twist of hunters being able to have 2 people in a car and one driving and one getting out to run. Of course this is all at night and cops are a problem another big problem.

[crak-a-bottle]

i remember we used to play this in the lunch hour at school, except if the seekers wern't found by the end of lunch hour, the seekers would just leave them. by the time the hiders realised, they were often 10 or sometimes even 15 minutes late for registration. =D happy days (i was always a seeker)

[brawns214]

My friends and I used to play a variation of this in city neighborhoods. Basically, the hunted went from point A to point B (mile to mile and a half) by foot that just happened to traverse through many different neighborhoods. The hunters drove around in cars carrying one other person (at the start) and as they tagged someone, they added them to their car. Its challenging for the hunters because the hunted can go through backyards and basically take any path they want. Its tough for the hunted because they can never know when that car is a hunter or not and also jumping through backyards really slows you down so you tend to stick to streets.

[crak-a-bottle]

this sounds like it calls for extreme stealth . . i like it. shame i can't drive yet. =D

[crak-a-bottle]

excellent 'ible. i've never played manhunt before.

sardines is excellent just on its own, expecially in large groups, starting with just one hider. by the end you tend to have about 30 people under a bench or whatever, practically wetting themselves laughing at the one poor sod who's left walking around thinking 'where the f*** has everyone gone'.

plus an idea for a totally unrelated game: have everyone avoid one chosen person (bday boy/girl? lol that would be mean).
the catch?
the person being avoided (or the avoidee, if you like) doesn't know he/she is playing. :P great fun.

[Thelonelysandwitch]

Here is a variation, if you have night vision, give that to the hiders, and let the seekers roam. I have played the airsoft version, and kinda cheated. My friend brought infrared viewing scopes (the same idea as night vision goggles)and infrared lasers that were invisible to the naked eye. and only we had them (my friend and I). So thats how you cheat.

[byaaface]

How 'bout sardines? (where once a seeker finds the hidig person they have to hide with them, once a lot of people are hiding it can get a bit crowded, hence the name. This is more of an inside game tho...)

[ELMo_0007]

Good idea, but how do you know when the game is over? Nonetheless, I like the concept and I added it to the list.

[ILIKEPIE333]

Zero gravity as in outer space? that would be awesome, but hard to hide

[zimmemic25]

then u need meteorites to hide behind...

[ILIKEPIE333]

...or get hit by

[Matt21497]

.......OR ride on.......

[ILIKEPIE333]

...which is awesome!

[Matt21497]

OH Yeah

[ILIKEPIE333]

'tis über

[KillerPanda]

I always play a version where when the hiders are tagged by the seekers, they are sent into a jail where they must wait either for their teammates to free them by tagging them, or wait for the time limit (somewhat symbolizing the United States Statue of Limitations) to expire which allows the hiders to win. Each round the teams are switched, and there is generally more seekers than hiders. I have an awesome yard for this as my mother plants a lot of bushes and there are many trees and gardens to dart around.

[Sturmgewehr44]

yeah it is awesome playing in your yard. except i cant run at all :-(

[ELMo_0007]

Thank you for reminding me of this variation, I used to play the game with a jail, but I completely forgot about it when I made the instructable.

[KillerPanda]

Yay! I feel useful!