Overview

Bunny Bunny Moose Moose is a party game where players make hand gestures on their heads to portray rabbits or moose while a narrator reads a poem and reveals scoring cards. When the narrator draws a hunter card and shouts “Bam!”, all players freeze their hand positions. Points are scored based on how each player’s frozen gesture matches the visible scoring cards. Players move rabbit and moose figures along a trail, and the player whose figures advance farthest wins.

Components

• 6 player cards (1 in each color)
• 15 trail cards
• 111 scoring cards
• 12 wooden figures (1 rabbit and 1 moose in each color)
• 1 sheet with a poem on each side
• 1 rulebook

Setup

1. One player becomes the narrator (traditionally “whoever looks most like a moose”).
2. The narrator sits opposite the other players at a rectangular table.
3. Each player selects a color and places their player card in front of them.
4. All rabbit and moose figures start on the fifth trail card, facing forward.
5. The narrator shuffles the scoring deck and keeps it in hand.
6. Place the 6-line poem sheet where the narrator can read it.

Turn Structure

Each round consists of one complete narrator phase:

1. Narrator Bets

The narrator places their player card in front of one other player (betting on that player to score well).

2. Reading the Poem

The narrator reads the poem slowly, line by line. For each line read, the narrator draws one scoring card and places it face-up in front of the players. Cards are laid in six piles (one per line), with new cards covering previous ones. After the first complete reading of the poem, any hunter card drawn triggers the “Bam!” moment.

3. Players Make Gestures

While the narrator reads, all other players continuously adjust hand gestures on their heads to represent moose antlers or rabbit ears. Players may change their gestures at any time until “Bam!” is called.

4. “Bam!” – Freeze

When the narrator draws a hunter card, they shout “Bam!” and slam it down. All players must freeze their hand positions immediately. No changes are allowed after “Bam!”

5. Scoring

The narrator examines each player’s frozen position against the six visible scoring cards and calculates scores.

Actions

Hand Gestures

Moose Antlers:

• Two hands at temples with thumbs touching head and fingers pointing up (wide antlers) or down (compact antlers).

Rabbit Ears:

• Two fingers on each hand held on top of the head (straight ears) or to the sides (floppy ears).

Tongue:

• Players may optionally stick out their tongue. Sticking out the tongue reverses your animal identity – moose antlers with tongue out count as a rabbit, and rabbit ears with tongue out count as a moose.

Bush:

• Any hand position that is neither clear ears nor clear antlers is a “bush” and scores no points.

Scoring Card Types

Card Type	Effect
Single ear/antler card	Scores only if the matching gesture appears on the correct side (mirrored)
Double card	Scores if either matching gesture appears; scores twice if both match
Tongue card	Awards points for sticking out tongue
Rabbit card	Awards points for appearing as a rabbit
Moose card	Awards points for appearing as a moose
Multiplier (x2)	Doubles total score
Reversal card	Flips positive/negative score values
Hunter card	Awards no points

Moving Figures

After scoring, each player moves their appropriate figure (rabbit or moose, based on their frozen gesture) forward or backward along the trail by the number of points scored. The player the narrator bet on also moves the narrator’s corresponding figure the same distance.

Last Place Bonus

After scoring, the last rabbit figure(s) and last moose figure(s) on the trail each move forward one space.

Bush Penalty

Players whose frozen position shows neither clear ears nor antlers (a “bush”) move both of their figures back one space.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Players rotate narrator duties. The game continues until each player has narrated 2-3 times (depending on player count).

Winning: The player whose rear figure (whichever of their rabbit or moose is farther back) has advanced farthest along the trail wins. Ties are broken by the position of the front figure.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Trail cards shift as figures move beyond boundaries, keeping all figures on the path.
• The narrator cannot score from their own gestures – they score only through their bet.
• Cards are read “as if looking in a mirror” – the left/right orientation on scoring cards is reversed relative to the player.
• A player’s tongue position reverses their animal identity for all scoring purposes.
• If a player’s hand position is ambiguous (neither clear ears nor antlers), they are a “bush” and score nothing.
• The poem must be read slowly enough for the narrator to draw and place one card per line.
• Hunter cards drawn before the first complete reading of the poem do not trigger “Bam!” – they are placed like normal scoring cards.

Player Reference

Gesture Quick Reference:

• Moose: Hands at temples, fingers spread up or down
• Rabbit: Two fingers on each hand, on top of head or to sides
• Tongue out: Reverses your animal (moose becomes rabbit, rabbit becomes moose)
• Neither clear gesture: “Bush” – no score, both figures move back 1

Turn Sequence: Narrator bets → Read poem & place cards → “Bam!” → Score → Move figures → Rotate narrator

Victory: Player whose trailing figure is farthest ahead wins after all narrator rotations complete.