Scary experiences while detecting/prospecting.

[The Dirt Pirate]

I was up in California gold country with a prospector friend about 10 years ago or so and we were detecting for nuggets along the slope of a mountain and my friend wandered off and I didn't see him again for a while. I got a signal and I bent down to dig it to see what it was and all of a sudden I heard what sounded like a woman screaming. It was coming from just the other side of the mountain. I stood up and started looking around but didn't see anything. I went back to digging the signal and out of no where comes my friend screaming like a woman and yelling "Bear, it's a big damn bear." I looked up and sure enough there was a big bear chasing him. I don't know what he did to make it mad but it chased him down the mountain almost all the way back to where we parked. I didn't get scared but my friend had to change his pants.

 

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[Back-of-the-boat]

A few times while out prospecting I have been stalked by big cats, never seen them but if you are woods wise you will know the feeling of being watched, also heard some twigs and leaf litter noise just kept on with what I was doing because if you start a quick retreat you have confirmed you are prey.I always in those situations remain calm as they are more curious than anything still gives the goosebumps and neck hair a rise though.

 

[Dr. Syn]

Well not really out prospecting, but I've had my share of encounters. Had a black bear decide he wanted to climb the tree I was in. Silly me eating apples and tossing the cores, guess he figured there were more where those came from. Or the time getting some blow boat's line untangled from the prop for the owner. I surfaced right smack dab in the middle of a bunch of hammer heads circling the spot. I had cut the heck out of my hands on the barnacles getting the rope off, and I figure the blood drew them in.

Last one, didn't scare me, more bewildered and still to this day trying to figure out what I saw. At my farm I had a fly in, bunch of friends and r/c planes. One night after the typical campfire and everyone else went to bed, I was not sleepy so I went for a walk. I grew up here, and nothing ever out there that scared me. But anywho, it was probably around 2-3 in the morning, all quiet. Which for the woods was odd. Honestly I think they are noisier at night than during the day.

I'm standing on top of a small rise, looking down in the valley when I notice what looked like airplane landing lights off in the distance. Thinking that's weird, the local airport closes at dusk, and the international one is in the other direction.I then noticed the lights were really low in the sky, and started to think maybe this was a plane in trouble. As the lamps got closer, a cloud or fog started to obscure my view. Now it's really weird, as right before that the sky was as clear as a bell. You haven't seen a sky until you are out in nowhere, where there are no lights to alter the view of the heavens.

These lights are getting closer and closer, and only a couple hundred feet up, just over the tree line on the opposite hill. I'm looking at them and it starts to dawn on me, that's all I can see, and hear. No airplane shape, and not a sound of an engine. The lights stop right over the valley, and just hang in the air.Okay, this is no airplane! The lights, 3 in a row, vertical and horizontal, forming a cross. the horizontal ones start to rotate around, as they do I can see the beams when they are facing away, lighting up the cloud, and I can't see anything supporting the lights. Then they stop and the vertical ones start to rotate, like a wheel spinning. Back and forth the sets of light take turns, and still I can't see what is holding them in the air, and there is not a sound.

This went on for several minutes, and then the lights stopped rotating, and whatever it was started to go vertically up in the sky. I watched it until the lamps blinked out. Right after that the cloud/fog rolled out of the area, and the woods came back to life. I could hear the frogs down at the lake, an owl hooting, and I could hear the stream nearby. Funny I don't remember hearing even the stream when this was going on.

Like said to this day I have no clue what it was, and I was never afraid the whole time, it was more like maybe a mix of shock and awe at what I was seeing.

 

[The Dirt Pirate]

I was detecting a park in a city that I had never been to before and I had probably been there for maybe a couple hours when these people went running through the park and then I heard some yelling and cussing like a fight was about to break out then the next thing I knew 2 or 3 cars came screeching around the corner on the other side of the park and all of sudden it was like I was detecting in the middle of a war zone. Gun shots were ringing out from all around the park and I was right there in the middle of it all.

 

[75matador315]

i dont have any stories or anything like you guys have but i wanted to say this is a very cool thread loved reading everyone's post and will continue to check for stories. thanks

 

[Limitool]

There I was deep in the woods (again) behind my home upon this high ridge top. I was about 3/4 mile back on this old, old dirt "2-tract" road. Usually all I find are horseshoes and partial chain links. I left my gun and the dogs at home this day. There is nothing around for miles except woods, critters, a river, an old cave and a lot of of un-metal detected ground. Then I heard a sound upon this calm day. It was about 2-3 pm. All of a sudden a beautiful lady run up to the top of the ridge to within about 50' from me. Since I was unarmed I immediately wanted to protect my MD (as all of us would). Her assault upon me was quick and precise. I dropped my MD and couldn't believe what was happening... then she yelled for help and 4 more ladies stormed up the ridge.... I was overpowered. It's a pure hell living here in this area...?

My MD was ok and I barely survived.... but I need a little help (in the wood-shop with these toy boxes)....

 

[The Dirt Pirate]

Continuing on with what happened to me that day in the park. When the shooting started I tried as best I could to stay out of sight so I wouldn't be mistaken for whoever they wanted to shoot. I'm not really sure how long it lasted but it seemed like hours. It was like being sudden thrown in the middle of an action movie without warning or being dropped behind enemy lines. Before the shooting finally stopped one of the bullets ripped into the tree not even a foot above my head. It made me jump because the impact of the bullet hitting the tree shook the tree and in turn the I felt the tree shake from the impact of the bullet. When the shooting stopped I got the hell out of that park and I have never been back to that town.

 

[Honest Samuel]

# 17, your lady friend is a ghost. Go back and say HI.

 

[The Beep Goes On]

"The Man-Bear-Mountain-Lion Whisperer" ... awesome dude. They knew you were cool.

The most dangerous animal, is, of course, a human. I was detecting Galveston early one morning, sunup. I was in knee-deep water facing out to sea. I got a feeling and turned toward the beach and there was this guy running absolutely as fast as he could about 30 feet away heading straight for me...already in the wet sand. I didn't freak, just gave him a glare and swung my Nuttall Diamond scoop into full view and he stopped cold. 20-something, up-all-night, illegal looking for some easy money. The weird part was he just gave me a big grin and sauntered down the beach. I guess he was going to body slam me and run off with the machine. Head on a swivel...all the time.

HH!
Beep

 

[The Dirt Pirate]

About 14 years ago I was detecting a piece of vacant land where a saloon and an old hotel once stood it wasn't very far from where the trains pass through the area nowadays and I had just dug a signal when a loud noise scared the life out of me. It was a thunderous noise and I looked up and less than a couple a hundred yards from where I was standing an Amtrak train had derailed and that's the loud noise I heard. I dropped my detector and ran to help. I was there helping pull people off that train until the next day. What really upset me about that day was finding 2 young kids (brother & sister) laying in the aisle of the train and there was nothing I could do to help them.

 

[Limitool]

Wasn't detecting at the time but was riding in the car of my friend who was a volunteer fireman. He got a call and it was real close (blocks away). He had to go NOW and I rode along. A huge home was on fire when we arrived. The entire 2-story home was ENGULFED in flames. The dad and others were going NUTS trying to get back inside. Four children including an infant were in the upstairs corner bedroom SCREAMING!!!! There was NO saving any of them at that point. The upstairs floor broke and a huge crash occurred going downward. All any of us could hear afterwards was the infant screaming and crying below now... It is something I'll NEVER FORGET.

The father had fell asleep smoking that afternoon and caught the house on fire with two of his children and two visiting.

 

[heepiepow]

I was detecting by some train tracks near a shopping center and suddenly heard someone yelling. Looked up and this homeless guy was coming towards me yelling "You took my stuff! I'm going to kill you!!" I grabbed my stuff and started walking towards the McDonald's, but he kept following and screaming that he was going to kill me. Just before he reached me I turned and launched a side kick but it didn't land too well. He swung and glanced my face, knocking my glasses off, and I swung back and glanced his head. Then he backed off, we circled a bit, then I took off my backpack and opened it to show him I didn't take anything. Said he was a Vietnam vet and suddenly got all chummy, even inviting me to join his homeless fight club.

A lot of homeless have been really curious, and given good tips on hunting spots. But some are pretty scary, especially the schizophrenics! Heck, a couple weeks ago just walking to the store there was a guy laying on the ground. I asked if he was alright and he stumbled to his feet yelling he was going to kill me, and cussing in Spanish. He tried to follow but was really drunk or messed up on drugs and walked into a tree. Kept yelling at me for a couple more minutes. That's the same street two pit bulls chased me, I should avoid that one.

 

[boogeyman]

I had a gun pointed at me by a military MP before. He lost his job over that (turns out he had multiple gun-waving incidents in his file). But .... at the time ... staring down the barrel of his gun ... was not fun

Amazing how a .45 looks like a howitzer when you're on the wrong end isn't it?
You're luck it was a MP not a little private that got stuck with guard duty!! That would've been a whole different story!

 

[Msbeepbeep]

Calikid, the shooting sounds like something that would occur here, we have gang shootings often.
One of these days i will be in the wrong place at the wrong time, i just hope i'm as lucky.

 

[The Dirt Pirate]

Yeah, gangs are everywhere now but they aren't as crazy or kill happy as they used to be back then. I've detected parks while gang members were hanging out in the park and a few times they even came up to me and asked what I was finding and they thought it was cool that it's possible to find old coins in the ground.

 

[RustyGold]

When I wasn't too experienced with surfing, I paddled out at Newport River Jetty and realized that none of the guys that paddled out with me were anywhere to be seen. That's when I realized that I was trying to get outside in 15+ foot surf.
I was on a small board (fish) at the time and just put my head down and kept paddling. Every time I crested a wave I could feel the wave pull on my feet wanting to take me backwards over the falls. I was scared but finally made it outside the impact zone.
While sitting on my board I would rise and fall several feet as the swell passed under me and I thought how in the heck am I going to make it in? This is going to be brutal.
I got the idea to try and paddle between sets into where the the wave would break and I could ride the white water in.
After getting back in front of the impact zone I saw this unbelievable mountain of white water rushing towards me and I held on tight to the rails of my board and wrapped my legs around the tail. I thought how am I going to even breath inside all that water.
That's when this wall of white hit me so hard it picked the board up and carried me all the way into the shore where I stood up with my board under my arm like I do this all the time. Lol!
The scary part was, one of the guys that came surfing with us that day was somewhat of a badass and was hassling the crap out of me prior to paddling out. He never said a word to me again.

 

[RustyGold]

Wasn't detecting at the time but was riding in the car of my friend who was a volunteer fireman. He got a call and it was real close (blocks away). He had to go NOW and I rode along. A huge home was on fire when we arrived. The entire 2-story home was ENGULFED in flames. The dad and others were going NUTS trying to get back inside. Four children including an infant were in the upstairs corner bedroom SCREAMING!!!! There was NO saving any of them at that point. The upstairs floor broke and a huge crash occurred going downward. All any of us could hear afterwards was the infant screaming and crying below now... It is something I'll NEVER FORGET
The father had fell asleep smoking that afternoon and caught the house on fire with two of his children and two visiting.

Wow LT! That's some HEAVY stuff!

 

[FreeBirdTim]

Ever have a huge tree randomly fall near you in the woods? I had it happen two different times this Spring. Not close enough to have any chance of hitting me, but close enough to scare the heck out of me. Both trees fell because the ground was mushy and they toppled over, roots and all. Let me tell you, nothing gets your blood pumping faster than the sound of a tree crashing down in the woods! LOL!

 

[lastleg]

So is it your contention that had you not heard the tree falling in the woods it would have made
no sound?

 

[FreeBirdTim]

So is it your contention that had you not heard the tree falling in the woods it would have made
no sound?

Deep thinkers are not allowed here! LOL!