happy hunting ground

noun

1

: the paradise of some American Indian tribes to which the souls of warriors and hunters pass after death to spend a happy hereafter in hunting and feasting

2

: a choice or profitable area of activity or exploitation

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Those looking for small, focused and highly-profitable firms that make all sorts of components, from robotic arms to bicycle gear, will find Japan to be a happy hunting ground. —Fortune, 15 Dec. 2021

London has not been a happy hunting ground for Miami, who are 1-3 on the other side of the Atlantic. —Jeremy Cluff, The Arizona Republic, 11 Oct. 2021

This has long made West Virginia a happy hunting ground for corporate interests eager to extract resources and profits. —Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 20 July 2021

In years past, Michael Gudinski made the APRA Awards a happy hunting ground, often snagging multiple awards with his company, Mushroom Music Publishing. —Billboard Staff, Billboard, 28 Apr. 2021

The crumbling cliffs along it, dating from the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods, are a happy hunting ground for anyone seeking the fossilized remains of ancient creatures. —Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2020

Word History

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined at sense 1