Surrounded by monkeys!

**stewart73** · 24-09-2012, 03:25 AM

Had a strange detecting experience yesterday. I was hiking and detecting in the misty mountains by myself and I thought I could hear branches breaking in the trees. Suddenly about 20 monkeys materialized to my right and started to cross the path I was on. Many stopped to look at me and some of the bigger males started to lumber up the path towards me. I turned around a few were also coming down the track towards me. I stood still but when I saw they weren't turning around I started yelling and banging my Leshe on a tree and waving my detector in the air and that slowly got them moving down over the bank.

Wished I could have filmed it (camera was in my backpack) but to be honest that was the last thing on my mind at that moment...but I did manage to get footage of one of the last ones as he ran away up the path. I think they might have been able to smell the lunch in my backpack. Japanese monkeys aren't huge exactly (about 25lbs for the males) but they have been known to attack people, especially if you look them in the eyes. One monkey? Pretty sure I could take him. 20? Not a chance!

All-in-all a pretty wild experience that definitely go the adrenaline pumping! I'll include what little footage I did manage to get in my next detecting vid.

Here is what Japanese macaques look like anyway:

**GaryS** · 24-09-2012, 07:00 AM

I imagine it could be very scary detecting alone in the forest knowing there could be lots of monkeys watching you waiting to pounce and attack you to steal your lunch.
Perhaps I've watched too many horror movies,but that monkey in the photo doesn't look very friendly to me.
Thank goodness we don't have any of those down here. Only friendly snakes,spiders,lizards,etc.
I was detecting alone once and a was nearly hit by a kangaroo being chased by a dog. I didn't see it coming at all and it really gave me a fright and nearly a heart attack.
Will be looking forward to your next vid,including monkeys.

**mal** · 24-09-2012, 07:54 AM

That monkey has just seen Scotts (Iron Mask) Saxon pennies from Bedford

**shep** · 24-09-2012, 08:17 AM

I had a similar thing with a flock of sheep last week.... I had a new aftershave on and i think they liked it!
One of them even winked at me

**Steve Bowles** · 24-09-2012, 08:35 AM

Good to hear you're in a stable relationship, then.

**minty fresh** · 24-09-2012, 09:34 AM

had about 15 kids follow me along the beach yesterday, felt a bit like the "Pied Piper" at 1st but every time i stopped to check a signal i noticed that they where all staring at me a bit like the "Children of the Corn" Freaky, i think id have preferred the Monkeys or the Sheep tbh

cant wait too see the video

**fertler** · 24-09-2012, 09:41 AM

Originally Posted by shep

I had a similar thing with a flock of sheep last week.... I had a new aftershave on and i think they liked it!
One of them even winked at me

Well, you are a bit close to Wales! I know about these things! I live in Norfolk.

Barrie.

**Cumbrian Fox** · 24-09-2012, 09:45 AM

It would be bad if them Monkeys ever teamed up with the cows round our way.. Reports of muggins and gang attacks on meteal detector users would shoot through the roof.

**shep** · 24-09-2012, 09:50 AM

Originally Posted by fertler

Well, you are a bit close to Wales! I know about these things! I live in Norfolk.

Barrie.

It was the one with curly hair, you know the one, she says she knows ewe!!!
Don't be sheepish!

**swissrolly** · 24-09-2012, 11:35 AM

I had this thing with Shetland Ponies (oooh matron !). Brave things in a group. In the end I retreated when one bit me hard on the arm. Lucky I was wearing a heavy coat. Down the pub they soon got bored with me showing off my 'war wound '!

**moparado** · 24-09-2012, 04:30 PM

You all getting 'viscously' attacked by monkies, kids, cows, ponies and sheep

All i ever got attacked by are mosquitoes.

The few times i've been detecting remote river beds or old homestead sites in the middle of nowhere, i always carried a handgun.
Hard to get a bead on mosquitoes though!

Stewart, you might want to at least carry pepper spray with you next time you're in the mountians. Monkey attacks can be life threatening.

**Boozer** · 24-09-2012, 08:50 PM

I thought this was a post about where i work!

**ARGONAUTE** · 24-09-2012, 09:01 PM

Seriously a bit scary - apes, lucky they didn't have hammers nor Leche tools!

I was surrounded by Guillemots on the weekend, unfortunately most were really sick and had their feet in the air or were just floating by in the water and crashing on the beach. I think their legs were paralysed.

**dave9** · 25-09-2012, 08:03 AM

Must of missed the MLO rally to Japan,was owt good found

**jcmaloney** · 25-09-2012, 01:37 PM

Take some peanuts & train them to dig holes!!

**Goldhunter** · 26-09-2012, 09:16 AM

Fantastic story, I would love to see some video of detecting in Japan. I have wanted to visit Tokyo for years, maybe one day. The closest experience to your situation is when a stag decided it was time for me to get off his land on a field in Norfolk. I didn't argue.