Japanese grandmothers use airguns to protect their crops.

[TroyHammer]

Thought is was cool.

https://japantoday.com/category/features/lifestyle/japanese-grandmothers-create-'monkey-busters'-group-to-fight-primates-with-airguns

[wolverine]

it won't load for me. 

[CraigH]

The page opened for me - in a separate tab per my configuration.

[USAFANG6799]

Opened ok for me.

I enjoyed reading some of the other articles.
Interesting culture.

[ranchibi]

How cool! Thanks for sharing 👍

[avator]

As I understand the article... they are not actually shooting them, they are firing warning shots.

[Madd Hatter]

I can't believe some of the comments people were posting. Must be city dewelers.

[USAFANG6799]

Wondering why they don't use paintball guns instead?
These grandmothers would be even more popular if they wore a ghillie suit 

[anti-squirrel]

I love all the non-Japanese comments.  I would happily volunteer those idiots people attend to appeasing a troop of a higher-order primate, Perhaps Chimps?   Since Chimpanzees are like any "harmless" territorial primate.  After a few groin-emasculations and nose/finger/ear removals, the sapiens will yield to the more robust yet less-intelligent primate.  IE: giving in to the bully.

[Mole2017]

None of the articles are being specific about the weapons beyond "airguns" but I found one that said it was airsoft. That would make sense, as it is a lot easier than owning a pellet gun in Japan. That said, I was hoping for something more like what Matt Dubber would do...No repeat offenders!

Still, it is funny to think of these ladies making tracks to scare monkeys in town. I wish them many more years of being able to move like that!

[kbstingwing]

Reminds me of my Mom, she would do things like that to protect her Garden with my old Red Rider BB gun, she couldn't hit the side of a barn with it but it did scare off the critters.

[mrbulk]

After a few groin-emasculations and nose/finger/ear removals, the sapiens will yield to the more robust yet less-intelligent primate.  IE: giving in to the bully.

Peter, I watched "Rise of The Warrior Apes", it was brutal at some points.

[Rat Sniper (AKA: PaulT58)]

Love the name of the town, a relatively less-populous prefecture called Fukui.  I wonder if it was named by the monkeys?   

[Shaq]

I can't believe some of the comments people were posting. Must be city dewelers.

I had to go back and read some after reading your comment lol.  One stood out to me -

“ This seems like a reckless escalation in what could potentially develop into an all out Simian-Sapien territorial conflict.

With the sapiens pursuing armament we will likely see the Simians resort to improvised weaponry in the form of long range IEDs (Improvised explosive doodoos) This could prove devastating for the local civilian population.

Perhaps a 2nd tract strategy of appeasement and non-lethal deterrence in the form of bananas and grumpy cats might prevent the precarious situation from developing into an intractable turf war.”

[wolverine]

while visiting south america last year, we encountered howler monkeys in the jungle.  we were told not to observe them too long or they'd throw fresh feces at us.  i took a few quick pics and pushed on.  they won. 

[Fate]

while visiting south america last year, we encountered howler monkeys in the jungle.  we were told not to observe them too long or they'd throw fresh feces at us.  i took a few quick pics and pushed on.  they won. 

Monkeys are not to be trifled with, they're smart, know humans, and protect their own.

When observing the Gibraltar monkey's compound back when, you learned not to get too close for too long... their "primitive weapons" made sure you paid if you did.

[mrbulk]

I can't believe some of the comments people were posting. Must be city dewelers.

I had to go back and read some after reading your comment lol.  One stood out to me -

“ This seems like a reckless escalation in what could potentially develop into an all out Simian-Sapien territorial conflict.

With the sapiens pursuing armament we will likely see the Simians resort to improvised weaponry in the form of long range IEDs (Improvised explosive doodoos) This could prove devastating for the local civilian population.

Perhaps a 2nd tract strategy of appeasement and non-lethal deterrence in the form of bananas and grumpy cats might prevent the precarious situation from developing into an intractable turf war.”

Hmmm, I wonder if the uptight school-marmish wording was due to the translation...

[moorepower]

I know airsoft is popular in Japan, possibly that is what they are using? Airsoft bb's I have heard sting. The comments were.... interesting.