Happy Hunting solution
by Kegler
Six answers contain EGG in one square; these are represented as colored circles in the grid
below (they would be “egg-shaped” if I could draw them that way!).
The letters from the crossing entries, from left to right, spell EASTER; hence, your “prey” is Easter eggs.
Across
| 1 | SH(Y)E'S + T |
| 5 | TAM + P |
| 8 | QUI(L)T |
| 9 | LAB + OR |
| 12 | RE + MOTE |
| 13 | ARP{EGG}IO (OPERA GIG anag) |
| 15 | B{E(G,G)}AR |
| 16 | BALS + A (rev) |
| 19 | S&H + RUG |
| 20 | SEES (palindrome) |
| 24 | SEWERS (2 defs) |
| 26 | ERASER (hidden) |
| 27 | ANNA + L |
| 28 | V({EG + G})IES |
| 29 | E + SPY |
| 30 | RESIST (SISTER anag) |
|
Down
| 1 | SQUA[B/d]S |
| 2 | HURRAH ("HER RAW" hom) |
| 3 | EL(K)S |
| 4 | ST + RINGS |
| 5 | TAME (MATE anag) |
| 6 | MOTHer |
| 7 | P{EGG}ED (1st letters) |
| 10 | BOWL + {EGG}ED |
| 11 | SPAR + TAN |
| 14 | OBSERVE (VERBOSE anag) |
| 17 | SERIES (hidden) |
| 18 | ASS + IS + T |
| 21 | R{E(G)G}AE (EAGER rev) |
| 22 | URNS ("EARNS" hom) |
| 23 | IS + A + Y |
| 25 | WETS (STEW rev) |
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