Definition & Meaning of "[bark] up the wrong tree"

What is the origin of the idiom "bark up the wrong tree" and when to use it?

The origin of The idiom "bark up the wrong tree" goes back to the practice of hunting with dogs, where a dog would chase a prey up a tree, and the hunter would then approach the tree and determine which tree the dog had chased the prey up. If the hunter determined that the dog had barked up the wrong tree, they would then have to redirect their efforts to find the prey in the correct tree. Today, the idiom is commonly used in a figurative sense, implying that someone is pursuing a mistaken course of action or blaming the wrong person for a problem.