Escaped Convicts Activity

This Activity is meant for Scouts BSA.

can of confetti or small strips of colored yarn.
a wristwatch.
at least 10 scouts

This is a good 'at camp' activity to get lots of exercise and practice at tracking.

Everyone participating in this activity will get plenty of running exercise.

You may alter the 'lead time' given to the convicts depending on space and abilities.

Two convicts have escaped from prison and are making their way cross country. The prison guards need to catch up to them, capture them, and return them to prison.

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Two scouts are chosen as the escaped convicts.
Four other scouts are chosen as trackers.
The rest of the patrol or troop are the prison guards, needed to capture the convicts.

All scouts gather at the 'prison'.
The two convicts take off together in any direction they choose - they must remain together as buddies.
The four trackers take off after them, staying as close as they can.
After the trackers have followed for some amount of time, such as 90 seconds, two of them return to the prison to gather the prison guards while the other two continue to track the convicts.
From this point on, the trackers need to stay up with the convicts and leave markers designating their trail for the guards to follow.
The guards are led by the other two trackers to the point where they stopped tracking and then pick up the trail from there.

The objective of the convicts is to remain free as long as possible.
The objective of the guards is to catch up to the convicts with at least half the guard force. Getting within 10 or 15 feet of the convicts counts as capturing them - they do not need to be physically held.
The two trackers following the convicts can only track them, they can not capture them until a sufficient guard force arrives.

Everyone should have a partner at all times.