1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Hunting (c.), decoying or drawing others into Play.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
To hunt for soft spots, verb. phr. (American).—To make oneself comfortable; to seek one’s ease.
1888. San Francisco Weekly Examiner, 22 Mar. It was demnition hot, and I commenced to hunt for soft spots in my saddle.
To hunt grass, verb. phr. (pugilists’).—To be knocked down; to be grassed (q.v.). Also, to be puzzled; to be dumfoundered.
1869. Clemens [Mark Twain], Innocents at Home, ch. ii. I hunt grass every time.
To hunt leather, verb. phr. (cricketers’).—To field at cricket.
1892. Cassell’s Sat. Jour., 21 Sep. p. 13, c. 2. For nearly ten years I earned a living—and a good one—by ‘wielding the willow’ and hunting the leather.
To hunt the dummy, verb. phr. (thieves’).—To steal pocket books.
1878. Charles Hindley, Life and Times of James Catnach, p. 171. (Chorus)—Speak to the tattler, bag the swag, And finely hunt the dummy.