snipe hunt

"Fool's Errand" redirects here. For the computer game, see The Fool's Errand. For the fantasy novel, see Fool's Errand (novel).A snipe hunt, also known as a fool's errand or wild goose chase, is one of a class of practical jokes that involves experienced people making fun of newcomers by giving them an impossible or imaginary task. For example, inexperienced campers are told about a bird or animal called the snipe as well as a usually ridiculous method of catching it, such as running around the woods carrying a bag or making strange noises. Incidentally, the Snipe (various species of shorebirds) is difficult to catch for experienced hunters, so much so that the word "sniper" is derived from it to refer to anyone skilled enough to shoot one[1].
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Noun
1. an elaborate practical joke in which the unsuspecting victim hunts a snipe and is typically left in the dark holding a bag and waiting for the snipe to run into it; "in the South a snipe hunt is practically a rite of passage"
(hypernym) practical joke