IndyScent conforms to the definition of a hash followed by most kennels in the United States . A hare or two (or three max) are given some agreed-upon head start and lay a trail, usually in the range of 3 to 5 miles, usually with a beer check(s), followed by the circle ceremony and an on-after at a bar or other private facility.
IndyScent practices a “live hare” format, where the hares lay the trail just ahead of the pack. “Dead hare” format is used on certain special occasions. In that format, the hares pre-lay the entire trail and then accompany the pack and give pointers to alleviate confusion.
Most trails are A to A, meaning they start and end in the same location. If hares should choose an A to B format, the hares are responsible for providing transportation to the pack back to the cars at the beginning. Any hasher who feels experienced enough to hare should consult the hareline and volunteer for an open date. Mismanagement can arrange experienced co-hares.
Hares are responsible for selecting the start location. Try to choose a place of free public parking where about 20 cars can park safely. (Be mindful of the finishing time and dawn-to-dusk rules at some public parks.) Also, consult the hareline or the GM and try to offer a variety of starting locations around the city.
Hares should advertise their hash, including start location and directions, as early as possible after scouting, through the Yahoo! E-mail group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/indyscenthashhouseharriers/) and on the web site (indyhhh.com) by e-mailing the info to the group and to the GM. Start locations should be selected at least a week in advance and promoted at the previous hash.
If possible, hares should include directions and/or contact info (such as a cell number) for any hashers who get lost trying to find the start location. Hares should also include in their report any qualifying information, such as equipment needed (chalk, flashlights), dog friendliness, stroller friendliness if applicable, pre-hash beer provided, etc.
Please try to stick to public property, unless permission has been obtained expressly to go onto private property (usually a hasher’s or a friend of a hasher). There are plenty of public spaces, parks, easements throughout Indianapolis so that we’re not caught in some sort of trespassing situation.
Hares also are responsible for stocking, placing and retrieving the Beer Checks. Hares will be reimbursed up to a pre-set limit for all booze, water, snacks, etc. Hash does not cover the cost of flour (that’s why you hash free as a hare) or other expenses such as decorations. Consult the GM and cash hag for current BN reimbursement limits.
Length
Most “regular” trails are 3 to 5 miles in length. The hash is meant to be a social run/walk, but the length of trail is up to the hares’ discretion. One consideration is time to complete the trail and factoring in nightfall. Since Indy hashes regularly on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, hares should account for how long a trail might take to finish on a work night vs. a weekend day. Usually, time spent on trail is one to two hours.
As of September 2010, Wednesday “Hump Day” hash starts at 7 p.m. Friday hashes at 7 p.m. And Saturday hashes at 3 p.m. year-round. Hares should notify the pack if there’s a change in the regular start time. Hares can go to http://www.usatf.org/routes/ for an Internet tool to track the approximate length of their hash.
On-After
The hares are responsible for selecting an appropriate nearby location for the On-After. This is usually a bar but sometimes is a private residence or other location. Hares are under no obligation to reveal the location of the On-After until the end of the hash at Announcements. However, hares may want to communicate any necessary special arrangements to the pack, or relay the location to hashers who have a conflict or other extenuating circumstance, and wish to attend the On-After only.
Hash Marks
The basic mark is a handful of flour thrown on the ground, in a ditch, on a sidewalk, on a log, on a tree, anywhere that hashers would reasonably be expected to look for flour. Marks should be spaced about 30 to 50 yards apart during daytime hashes. A good measure is that a basic step or pace is about a yard (three feet). So every 30 to 50 steps, lay some flour.
If appropriate, chalk drawn in a circle can also indicate a hash mark. Sometimes, toilet paper has been used in areas of high shiggy. Post-It Notes also have been used at IndyScent to success especially in indoor locations where flour is not appropriate. At night, marks should appear more frequently and not be as difficult to find in general. About every 20 yards (closer in areas of shiggy in the dark) is a good reference point, and marks should be very conspicuous.
It’s important to note that marks should generally proceed in a straight line. If the trail needs to turn any more than about 30 degrees, the hares need to indicate a switch in direction with the hare’s arrow or a check. Please be aware of hashes that start in the sunlight but end after dusk. Note that you should start marking more heavily prior to dusk falling – the pack will be several minutes behind you. Plan ahead to keep the trail well-marked so that everybody has a fun time finding trail.
In areas of shiggy, please try to mark the trail as well as possible. Thick shiggy will slow down even the fastest pursuing FRB without much need for deception. Do not get overly concerned with “getting caught.” This rarely ever happens at IndyScent, and if it does, what’s the worst that can happen – you’ll drink beer, right? Try to focus on laying a good, challenging trail that is marked well enough that the pack has no trouble finding trail or gets tempted to abandon trail. Only if you lay a bad trail and act like a prick will we think about making you sit on a block of ice. Hey, we’re a conservative hash, use it to your advantage.
Checks
IndyScent marks checks with an X or an X inside a circle. This can be done in flour or chalk (or other implements found on trail) or other mark as appropriate. The true trail can go any of 359 degrees except the one from which it came. Although usually, trail options proceed in any of the three 90-degree angles, or 45-degree angles, or other obvious angles from the checkpoint.
Four consecutive marks or more of flour in any direction usually but not always indicates true trail. In IndyScent, false trails can go as far as you desire/can run. If you take a false trail four marks or more, please try to mark it as a dead trail with three parallel lines or YBF. Do not place beer checks down a false trail.
Remember, the purpose of checks is to slow down the FRBs and ultimately keep the pack close together so that everyone not only gets some exercise but sticks together for socializing and safety purposes. A check is solved when the pack can find another check, a hare’s arrow, a beer near or another mark indicating true trail. Mark your checks with bright white flour, bright chalk markings, or if it has snowed, colored chalk (red is usually best). We’ve had many hashes where the pack blows by checks that are blue or purple chalk marked on concrete that are completely missed because they don’t contrast enough. As mentioned above, please use an arrow or check any time the trail varies more than a few degrees off a straight line. Do not make sharp turns of true trail without an arrow or check.
Arrows
The hare’s arrow in IndyScent is an arrow with three lines drawn on the tail. Sometimes the hares will use a conventional arrow (no lines on tail). This may or may not indicate true trail, and in fact can be used to deceive the pack if necessary. As mentioned above, please use an arrow or check any time the trail varies more than a few degrees off a straight line. Do not make sharp turns of true trail without an arrow or check.
Beer Check (Beer Near)
“BN” usually marks beer checks in IndyScent. Use this mark to indicate that the beer is somewhere in the vicinity. You may want/need to use multiple BN markings. Hares should use their discretion about how heavily trafficked the area is: hide the beer well if there’s a chance that someone else would come along and find it without interpreting the signs. You may want to lay some extra hash marks if it is especially well hid, however. Variations on BN are welcomed but should be explained by hares or the RA or other hash rep at chalk talk. WN (wine check), SN ( Sparks check or shot check), LN (liquor check) are common variations.
The hares are responsible for setting the beer check and also retrieving it after the hash. Funds and repayment for beer checks should be coordinated beforehand with the GM. Hares should please try to select an out-of-the-way location for “public” consumption of alcohol by a large group if possible for both beer checks and circle.
Back Check
“BC” and accompanying digit marks a back check in IndyScent, such as BC 4. Use the hash mark immediately prior to the BC to begin counting back to the new checkpoint. Don’t count the BC as a mark. Longer back checks are effective techniques at slowing down the FRBs to give the hares more time and to keep the pack closer together. Commonly, the true trail is marked on the back of a tree or sign or somewhere out of sight as to fool the pack into continuing to the BC mark before finding true trail again. Back checks right near the end of trails don’t usually serve much purpose and can be cause for hare abuse.
Pack Arrow
FRBs and really all hashers are encouraged to mark checks for those behind them with a pack arrow. This can be a regular arrow —> or a straight line marked on either side with only one prong of an arrow —/— indicating true trail. Also, mark the bad trails at the check with three lines beside the direction to let those behind you know not to follow a bad path.
Boob Check/Penis Check
Two side-by-side circles with dots in the middle (chalk or flour) represent IndyScent’s boob check. Guess what that resembles? To proceed, the pack needs to get a female to flash, or a female to find true trail. The penis check is a crude drawing of the male genitalia (guess what that resembles?), with the same flashing/finding rule in effect for the boys.
Turkey/Eagle Split
We mark a turkey/eagle split with a “T” and an “E” side-by-side with arrows pointing in the appropriate, opposite directions. The turkey trail is generally for walkers and features less rough terrain and less elevation changes. The eagle is the more challenging of the trails. A regroup/rejoin mark, or a BN, or hare’s arrow, or check, usually indicates the merging of the turkey and eagle trails.
Regroup/Rejoin
IndyScent’s regroup symbol is an R or an R with a circle drawn around it. This means all members of the pack must wait until the last hashers rolls up and all of the pack is present before proceeding. This is useful in slowing down FRBs, but also for safety measures. It’s also a good idea to use this mark or another indication when the Turkey/Eagle trails rejoin. Please use sparingly and appropriately.
Special Marks
Any special marks or variations are welcome, but should be announced at chalk talk. Also, overuse of special marks on a regular basis is not encouraged and can confuse virgins who already are confused enough (dumb twats). Usually, special marks are variations on the marks listed above for some specific purpose.
Pre-Laying
It is often said that pre-laying is like masturbation: universally practiced but rarely discussed. Hares should make their own call on whether to pre-lay and how much. Please take into account occasions when the trail has been pre-layed in the daylight and becomes very difficult to solve in dusk or darkness. However, it should be noted that pre-laying can allegedly be an effective strategy, not only for avoiding FRBs, but also for complicating a trail and adding some degree of complexity with intricate checks and back checks, especially at the start of trails. Like masturbation, pre-laying is your friend yet could also result in blindness to you or those in your vicinity.