Dragnet Rules 2025
These rules must be read before departure from Dragnet Base.
Any questions should be resolved with a Dragnet base Official prior to departure.
1.) Lives
a. After leaving the start point, teams will have UNTIL 1AM to disperse before searchers are allowed to start catching and taking lives. This time is from when you leave the START POINT, and catchers will know this time.
b. Each team will have 4 LIFE CARDS. Upon capture the team will hand over their FIRST life card to the searcher. The searcher will also write the time captured on the SECOND life card and the team will have ONE HOUR grace from this time to get away. Subsequent lives taken will follow the same procedure. Upon losing all 4 lives you will be out of the competition and should contact Dragnet base for instructions – NOT your own leaders.
c. A team is caught if any one member is touched by a Searcher.
d. After 08:00 on Sunday, no more one-hour grace periods will be given out after losing a life, and any existing grace periods will expire.
2.) Finishing
a. Teams must finish between 10:30 and 11:30 on Sunday morning. The winners will be the team to arrive nearest to 11am with the least numbers of lives lost. Your time will be logged when the last member of your team crosses the finish line.
b. The finish area will be clearly marked. Once you enter the finish area on the Sunday morning you must proceed to the finish line immediately. Please make yourselves familiar with the finish area boundaries on the Friday night before you leave base.
All teams that finish between 10:30 and 11:30 with lives remaining will receive a certificate and a badge.
3.) Emergencies
a. If you wish to drop out due to illness, injury or any other emergency,
you must inform Dragnet Base using the emergency telephone number.Dragnet Base is your first point of contact for any problems so they can help you deal with them. Please do not make non-essential calls to base between midnight and 7am.
b. Once you have contacted base you may be directed to a collection point along the route. Please make your way there if you are capable. You may have to wait a number of hours as pick up for emergencies will take priority.
c. You have essential equipment with you as noted on the kit list, please use it to make yourselves comfortable.
d. Whilst waiting for collection by the rescue bus, have a think - can the minibus see us? Can the minibus pull up safely? If this isn’t possible, please move to somewhere within the vicinity and are visible and where you can get onto the minibus safely
4.) Information
a. After setting off, teams are not permitted to telephone their own group leaders. Dragnet Base MUST ALWAYS be your first point of contact. Likewise, leaders are NOT permitted to contact or meet up with their own teams for support whilst the competition is running unless Dragnet Base has authorised them to do so. Teams will be disqualified if it is known that they have met up with their leaders, without being authorised by Dragnet Base, or a Dragnet Official.
b. All teams will be given an ORANGE band to wear in order to be identified from the general public. It should be worn like a SASH and should be clearly visible at all times over your outerwear. Likewise, all Searchers will wear a WHITE sash and should be asked to produce a searchers card at the time of capture to prove their identity.
c. At certain points on the route Dragnet officials may be checking on the welfare of the teams. These people will be wearing HI-VIZ as well as their white sashes. THESE OFFICIALS ARE NOT THERE TO CATCH TEAMS. PLEASE DO NOT RUN AWAY!!
d. All team members must keep together as a team and carry the full kit at all times. It is not permitted to drop kit at any time or meet with your leader to hand kit to them.
e. Teams must keep within the boundaries shown on the map and MUST STAY BELOW 500m to comply with scout safety rules. Please respect private property and observe the country code at all times, minimising noise and avoiding disturbance to residents especially at night. There are certain places on the route you are not permitted. These will be highlighted on the boundary map.
f. You must keep your Tracker safe and switched on at all times. This is a safety precaution and the information recorded will not be used by the searchers. You may be charged £150 for loss or damage to your tracker. Your tracker route will be checked once you finish the event to make sure you have stayed within the boundaries.
Any breach of the rules may result in your teams’ disqualification. In the event of a dispute the organisers’ decision is final.
Emergency telephone numbers:
Dragnet Base Mobile: 07539 838166