The snipe hunt

Snipe hunts are a form of practical joke. The snipe hunt requires a group of people in on the gag and a victim. Snipe, the victim is told, can only be hunted at night. To hunt snipe you need beaters who are going to drive the snipe into a large bag held by the catcher (the victim) Everyone proceeds to a swampy area out in the country. The catcher is stationed somewhere in the middle of nowhere; the beaters move off into the distance where, the mark is told, they will drive the snipe towards the catcher. Then the beaters quietly go home and wait for the victim to catch on.

Once upon a time when I was youngster, a group of us decided to take a European exchange student out on a snipe hunt. He expressed great interest and enthusiasm and promised to do his very best as catcher.

He was waiting for us when we got home.