You need: Wood, red paint, 2 different wool colours.

Divide the youth into two teams: "Cattle Rustlers" and "Cowpokes". Each team is identified by tying different colours of wool to their arms.

The "Cattle Rustlers" have stolen the "Cowpokes'" cattle during the night, and are herding them back to their hideout. On the way to the hideout, the cattle brush against bushes, trees, etc., and leave hair attached to them (coloured wool). Some of the "Cattle Rustlers" were injured during the raid, and drip blood (the red paint) on the ground.

After the "Cattle Rustlers" have left for their hideout, one of the "Cowpokes" wakes up and realizes that their cattle herd is significantly smaller. They spot the trail of hair and blood, and head off in the same direction following the marked trail.

The "Cattle Rustlers" believe that they haven't gotten a clean getaway, and decide to ambush the "Cowpokes" from a convenient location.

Playing the game:

The game is played with two known items: 1) the "Cattle Rustlers" will be waiting in ambush, and 2) the "Cowpokes" are following the "Cattle Rustlers". However, neither side will know exactly when and where either team will appear. When the "Cowpokes" fall into the ambush, the "Cattle Rustlers" jump out of hiding and attempt to do in the "Cowpokes" by breaking the wool tied to their arms.

The Zulu Boy

This game is based on the Zulu Boy legend, where he is painted white and given a head start before the tribe hunts him down.

Select one youth, and instead of painting him/her white, have him/her wear a white t-shirt or white paper hat. The white item cannot be removed by the Zulu Boy during the game.

Given ten minutes or so head start, the Zulu Boy must get away from the rest of the group and hide. The balance of the group pairs off, and are sent off in random directions to hunt the Zulu Boy.

When one of the pairs locates the Zulu Boy, they must try to capture him by either both of the pair touching him/her, or removing the white paper hat.

Vary the conditions of the game according to the layout of the land that it is being played in. An urban setting may require some restrictions on where the Zulu Boy can or cannot hide. Make sure you set boundaries for the game

Limit the time of the game, and end it using whistle signals. If the Zulu Boy have avoided capture at the end of the time limit, then he is the winner of the game.

Pony Express

Equipment: Four sashes or neckerchiefs, two red and two blue. Two boxes to receive delivered letters. Supply of postcards or index cards, half bearing blue stamps half bearing red stamps.

The boys are divided into the Indians and the Pony Express Riders. The object of the game is that the Riders are attempting to deliver mail without being intercepted by the Indians.

Leadership should consist of at least one leader with the Indians and a minimum of two leaders for each of the two groups of Riders.

The pack is divided into three groups, one group of Indians and two groups of Pony Express Riders, the Red Riders and the Blue Riders. The boys are placed in the field as in the diagram. Their leaders are with them. There should be one Red leader and one Blue leader at each end of the field, wearing sashes or neckerchiefs of appropriate colours. Each boy on each side is to have a post card bearing the appropriate colour stamp. At "GO" the Riders are to attempt to get to the other end of the field to deliver their letters to the boxes.

If intercepted by an Indian, the Rider forfeits his card and has to say his Cub Law for the Indian leader before being allowed to get back into the game. He then goes to one of the leaders of his side, gets another stamped postcard, and again attempts to get through. When a Rider gets through the Indian ambush he puts his card in the mailbox and goes to the appropriate leader for another card to deliver to the other side.

And who are the winners? At the end of the game the cards in each set of boxes are counted, to see which group of Riders was able to deliver the most letters. Or did the Indians beat both sides by intercepting more cards than were delivered?

Capture the Flag

A game of stalking and hunting, Capture the Flag is best with the woods for a setting. The game has all the elements of woodland combat -- scouting, reconnoitering, stalking the enemy, capturing the loot, and escaping to the home camp. It can be played for an hour or made an all day event.

Divide players into two equal teams. Divide the playing area into two camps by a natural boundary line -- a road, a stream, etc. If the game is to be an all day event, the entire campsite may be used. For a shorter game, the area should be reduced accordingly. On opposite sides of the boundary, about twenty feet behind the line, two prisons are marked out, or trees or stumps are designated as guard houses. A guard, or several guards, if the group is large, stand sentry about twenty-five feet away from the prison to prevent escapes. Members of each team wear distinctive arm bands, head bands or neckerchiefs so that during the game a boy has no difficulty identifying his friends from his enemies.

How to play: The two teams go to their respective campsites and hide their flags in in conspicuous places. The flags should be on long, thin poles and these must be standing. The flag must be visible at a distance of twenty-five yards -- less if the area is small. Guards may be stationed near the flag to protect it from the enemy, but they may not be closer than a hundred yards, or fifty yards if the game is to be played for a shorter time and the playing space is smaller. They may close in, of course, if they spy one of the enemy approaching the flag.

Allow a reasonable period for hiding the flags, then signal the warning that the attack is on. The boys should be cautioned to take their time, for stealth and strategy count as much as swiftness. Players from both teams venture into the enemy's camp to find its flag, the object of the game being to capture the flag and bring it safely across the boundary line into the home camp. Players may be tagged in the enemy camp, and if they are, they are put in prison. A team mate may free a prisoner by touching the prisoner's hand while the latter has his feet on the prison. If his team mate succeeds in eluding the guard and touching the prisoner's hand, both he and the prisoner are allowed to return free to their own territory. A rescuer may free only one prisoner at a time, however.

If the flag is successfully captured it is carried back to the home camp. If the raider is caught before he crosses the boundary line he is put in prison, and the flag is set up again on the same spot from which it was taken. The boys will soon learn that the best strategy once the flag has been discovered, is for team mates to work together, several of them drawing the guards away from the flag, to give one of their team the chance to carry it off.

If neither team captures the enemy's flag, the game is won by the team that has most prisoners at the end of the playing time.