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A snipe hunt is a type of
practical joke A practical joke, or prank, is a mischievous trick played on someone, generally causing the victim to experience embarrassment, perplexity, confusion, or discomfort.Marsh, Moira. 2015. ''Practically Joking''. Logan: Utah State University Press. ...
or fool's errand, in existence in North America as early as the 1840s, in which an unsuspecting newcomer is duped into trying to catch a nonexistent animal called a ''snipe''. Although
snipe A snipe is any of about 26 wading bird species in three genera in the family Scolopacidae. They are characterized by a very long, slender bill, eyes placed high on the head, and cryptic/camouflaging plumage. The ''Gallinago'' snipes have a near ...
are an actual family of birds, a ''snipe hunt'' is a quest for an imaginary creature whose description varies. The target of the prank is led to an outdoor spot and given instructions for catching the snipe; these often include waiting in the dark and holding an empty bag or making noises to attract the creature. The others involved in the prank then leave the newcomer alone in the woods to discover the joke. As an American
rite of passage A rite of passage is a ceremony or ritual of the passage which occurs when an individual leaves one group to enter another. It involves a significant change of status in society. In cultural anthropology the term is the Anglicisation of ''rite ...
, snipe hunting is often associated with
summer camp A summer camp or sleepaway camp is a supervised program for children conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as ''campers''. Summer school is usually a part of the academic ...
s and groups such as the
Boy Scouts Boy Scouts may refer to: * Boy Scout, a participant in the Boy Scout Movement. * Scouting, also known as the Boy Scout Movement. * An organisation in the Scouting Movement, although many of these organizations also have female members. There are t ...
. In France, a similar joke is called " hunting the dahut".


In North America

Although
snipe A snipe is any of about 26 wading bird species in three genera in the family Scolopacidae. They are characterized by a very long, slender bill, eyes placed high on the head, and cryptic/camouflaging plumage. The ''Gallinago'' snipes have a near ...
are a real family of birds, the ''snipe hunt'' is a
practical joke A practical joke, or prank, is a mischievous trick played on someone, generally causing the victim to experience embarrassment, perplexity, confusion, or discomfort.Marsh, Moira. 2015. ''Practically Joking''. Logan: Utah State University Press. ...
, often associated with
summer camp A summer camp or sleepaway camp is a supervised program for children conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as ''campers''. Summer school is usually a part of the academic ...
s and other types of outdoor
camping Camping is an outdoor activity involving overnight stays away from home, either without shelter or using basic shelter such as a tent, or a recreational vehicle. Typically, participants leave developed areas to spend time outdoors in more natur ...
, in which the victim is tricked into engaging in a hunt for an imaginary creature. Snipe hunters are typically led to an outdoor spot at night and given a bag or pillowcase along with instructions that can include either waiting quietly or making odd noises to attract the creatures. The other group members leave, promising to chase the snipe toward the newcomer; instead, they return home or to camp, leaving the victims of the prank alone in the dark to discover that they have been duped and left " holding the bag". The snipe hunt is a kind of fool's errand or
wild-goose chase Wild-goose chase or wild goose chase may refer to: * A pursuit of something unattainable or non-existent, such as in a fool's errand or snipe hunt A snipe hunt is a type of practical joke or fool's errand, in existence in North America as earl ...
, meaning a fruitless errand or expedition, attested as early as the 1840s in the United States. It was the most common
hazing Hazing (American English), initiation, beasting (British English), bastardisation (Australian English), ragging ( South Asian English) or deposition refers to any activity expected of someone in joining or participating in a group that humiliates ...
ritual for boys in American
summer camp A summer camp or sleepaway camp is a supervised program for children conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as ''campers''. Summer school is usually a part of the academic ...
s during the early 20th century, and is a
rite of passage A rite of passage is a ceremony or ritual of the passage which occurs when an individual leaves one group to enter another. It involves a significant change of status in society. In cultural anthropology the term is the Anglicisation of ''rite ...
often associated with groups such as the
Boy Scouts Boy Scouts may refer to: * Boy Scout, a participant in the Boy Scout Movement. * Scouting, also known as the Boy Scout Movement. * An organisation in the Scouting Movement, although many of these organizations also have female members. There are t ...
. In camp life and children's folklore, the snipe hunt provides an opportunity to make fun of newcomers while also accepting them into the group. Setting the stage for the prank is often done with imaginative descriptions of the snipe, similar to
tall tale A tall tale is a story with unbelievable elements, related as if it were true and factual. Some tall tales are exaggerations of actual events, for example fish stories ("the fish that got away") such as, "That fish was so big, why I tell ya', it n ...
s. For instance, the snipe is said to resemble a cross between a jackrabbit and a squirrel; a squirrel-like bird with one red and one green eye; a small, black, furry bird-like animal that only comes out during a full moon, and so on. According to ''American Folklore: An Encyclopedia'': In another variation, a bag supposedly containing a captured snipe is theatrically brought to the campsite after a group hunt; the snipe quickly "escapes" unseen when the bag is opened.


Variations

A similar practical joke in France is known as " hunting the dahut". While the description of the prey differs from the North American snipe hunt, the nature of the joke is the same. In Spain, a similar joke is called ('hunting gamusinos'). The is an imaginary animal creature with no defined description.


In popular culture

A snipe hunt features prominently in the plot and title of an episode of ''
Cheers ''Cheers'' is an American sitcom television series that ran on NBC from September 30, 1982, to May 20, 1993, with a total of 275 half-hour episodes across 11 seasons. The show was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions in association w ...
''. The men of the bar send
Frasier Crane Dr. Frasier Winslow Crane (born ) is a fictional character who is both a supporting character on the American television sitcom ''Cheers'' and the titular protagonist of its spin-off ''Frasier'', portrayed by Kelsey Grammer. The character debu ...
on a snipe hunt in the Season 3 episode " The Heart is a Lonely Snipe Hunter."


See also

* Drop bear *
Elwetritsch The Elwetritsch (a.k.a. Elwedritsch, Ilwedritsch and so on), plural Elwetritsche or Elwetritschen, is a birdlike legendary creature which is reported to be found in southwest Germany, especially in the Palatinate. The Elwetritsch can be seen a ...
*
Fearsome critters In North American folklore, fearsome critters were tall tale animals jokingly said to inhabit the wilderness in or around logging camps,Dorson, Richard M. ''Man and Beast in American Comic Legend.'' (Bloomington, IN: Indiana Univ. Press, 1982 ...
*
Jackalope The jackalope is a mythical animal of North American folklore described as a jackrabbit with antelope horns. The word ''jackalope'' is a portmanteau of ''jackrabbit'' and ''antelope''. Many jackalope taxidermy mounts, including the original ...
*
List of practical joke topics This is a list of practical joke topics (also known as a prank, gag, jape or shenanigan) which are mischievous tricks or jokes played on someone, typically causing the victim to experience embarrassment, perplexity, confusion, or discomfort. Pra ...
*
Oozlum bird The oozlum bird, also spelled ouzelum, is a legendary creature found in Australian and British folk tales and legends. Some versions have it that, when startled, the bird will take off and fly around in ever-decreasing circles until it manages to ...
*
Squonk The squonk is a mythical creature that is reputed to live in the hemlock forests of northern Pennsylvania in the United States. Origins Although the earliest written account of the squonk was from the 1910 book '' Fearsome Creatures of the Lumb ...
* Wild haggis


Notes


References

* * * * * * * * * * *


Further reading

* * * * * *


External links


"Snipe Hunting"
– University of Southern California Digital Folklore Archives
"Snipe Hunt"
– James T. Callow Folklore Archive {{DEFAULTSORT:Snipe Hunt Practical jokes In-jokes American legendary creatures Fearsome critters Scouting fr:Canulars dans la technique