| Bearball™ is a game of skill, strategy, and chance | | | | declared Mauled and a point is awarded to the Bears. |
| between two teams, called Clans. It's sort of a blend | | | | If a Hunter is Mauled, they must leave the playing field |
| of kick ball, dodge ball, and baseball played on a square | | | | for the rest of that Stalk. No more that two Hunters |
| field with a six inch playground ball. On the field are | | | | can be mauled per Stalk. |
| areas designated as Meadow, Clear-cut, and Forest. In | | | | UMs can be Bagged in the same manner as the Um's. |
| the Meadow are places marked as Trees, Lake, Hill, | | | | UMs cannot score points other than by mauling. They |
| and Den. | | | | can go to a Tree or Lake; however, no more than one |
| The object of the competition, called a Hunt, is for | | | | Bear at a time can occupy the Lake or Tree. If a Um |
| Bears to get from the Trees to the Den before being | | | | touches a Lake or Tree that has a UM, the Um is |
| caught: Bagged. Whenever a Bear safely reaches the | | | | declared Bagged. |
| Den a point is awarded. Each team takes turns at | | | | Play does not stop until one of the following five |
| being Bears and Hunters. When four Bears have been | | | | conditions occurs: |
| Bagged, the Hunters have taken their Limit and the | | | | 1) Time-out is called by a member of the Ranger staff. |
| Clans switch places. Eight completed sets of rotations | | | | 2) All Bears on the field have been Bagged. |
| of innings, called Stalks, constitute a Hunt. The team | | | | 3) All Um's have safely reached the Den. |
| with the greatest number of Bears reaching their den | | | | 4) The Den is Burned. |
| safely wins the Hunt. There are no "tie" games in | | | | 5) A Dead Stone occurs; i.e., Forested Stone. |
| Bearball, each Hunt produces either a Feast (win) or | | | | If an Ursa Minor is at a Lake when the Den is Burned, |
| Famine (loss). Ties and other disputes are settled by | | | | or ball Forrested, it must return to a Tree before start |
| flipping the Flatbear coin. | | | | of the next Live Rock and cannot be Bagged until play |
| To start the game, one Bear is sent to each Tree on | | | | begins again. |
| the field. These Bears are called Ursa Minors (Um). | | | | Clans must rotate players through their Campaign |
| One member of the Bear team, the UM (Ursa Major), | | | | Roster. Once an Ursa Minor has been Bagged or |
| goes to the Den and kicks, throws, bounces, or rolls | | | | reached the Den safely, they cannot return to a Tree |
| the ball into play after the Warden shouts "Hunt" when | | | | until after they have played as an Ursa Major. An Ursa |
| the two teams are in place. There are seven Hunters | | | | Major cannot return to kick the Stone until they have |
| positioned around the field. The ball must stay within | | | | served as an Ursa Minor. If both Ursa Minors return to |
| the limits of the Clear-cut and Meadow (see field | | | | the Den without a Bagged-Bear, then the Warden will |
| maps). If the ball goes into the Forest, a "Bagged Bear" | | | | call Open Season and Bears will go to their |
| (same as an 'out' in baseball) occurs and the Bears at | | | | appropriate places to start Hunting again. If only one of |
| the Trees must return to their Tree. Bears must take | | | | the Um's returns safely when there is a Dead Stone, |
| at least a three but no more than a ten second Swim | | | | then another Um must go to a Tree before play can |
| in the Lake on their way to the Den sometime during | | | | start again with another UM putting the ball into play. If |
| their play as an Um during a Stalk (see Rule 1.77). | | | | an UM is still at a safety zone, Tree or Lake, when a |
| Zones on the field where the Bears can Hibernate, or | | | | Dead Stone happens, then it must return to the cave |
| safely stay, are the Lake, Trees, and Den (see Rule | | | | before another UM puts the ball into play. |
| 1.31). Bears may switch back and forth between the | | | | An Ursa Minor may replace another at a Tree when |
| Trees and Lake in any direction to avoid being Bagged. | | | | Warden calls "Open Season". There may not be more |
| When the UM puts the ball into play, the Hunters get | | | | than two Ursa Minors on the field at one time during |
| the ball and can throw, kick, bounce, or roll the ball | | | | Live Rock. |
| toward a Bear as it attempts to get to the Den. If the | | | | When the Stone has been kicked from the Den, |
| ball touches any part of the Bear below the neck, the | | | | Hunters attempt to Bag a Bear by hitting the Um with |
| Bear is Bagged and must return to the Cave. Four | | | | the Stone before the Bear can reach the Den. Two |
| Bears must be Bagged per Stalk. After four Bears | | | | Ums can be Bagged on one throw if the ball does not |
| have been Bagged, the teams switch places and the | | | | touch the ground between contacting Bears. |
| Bears become the Hunters. | | | | The Hunt ends when one of the following happens. |
| Note: There are seventeen conditions in which a | | | | A. Eight Stalks are completed. |
| Bagged Bear can be declared (see rule 1:02). | | | | B. Game is delayed more than forty-five minutes due |
| The UM can attempt to maul Hunters (see Rule 1.46). | | | | to inclement weather. |
| The UM cannot get the ball for Mauling until after at | | | | C. One team is thirty points ahead after five Stalks. |
| least one Hunter has touched the ball after the UM | | | | D. Due to circumstances where one team has less |
| puts the ball into play out of the Den. When the UM | | | | than six active players after competition has begun. |
| throws, kicks, bounces, or rolls a ball toward a Hunter | | | | E. A team has been given three unsportsman-like |
| and the ball touches any part of the Hunter below the | | | | conduct penalties. |
| neck without the Hunter catching the ball, the Hunter is | | | | |