I live in a converted bus on a hill in a remote wilderness, most of the time since the owners of the property inherited a new house I'm all alone out here. 3 dogs, two cats & ten chickens.
I was working on the bus when the dogs did their alert barks, which normally means they want me to lift a board so they can chase a rat or a lizard.
I wasn't even gonna check it out but I try to be consistent so I did, as I stepped out I saw the dogs running away-I though they were chasing a rabbit but they were looking up the dirt jeep trail leading to BLM land. They charged back up the road when I appeared - I followed two big coyotes stopped their own charge at the dogs when I appeared around the back of the bus.
I cleared leather but hesitated because the dogs were in between me & the two yotes. The oldest dog knows to split when I have a gun in my hand but the other two were still in the way, me yelling at them to get back scared the coyotes.
I started shooting as soon as it was safe, but in my adrenaline rush I forgot about the dogs ( two split for sanctuary under the porch, one ran in the bus ) I emptied around 12 rounds at the fleeing yotes but missed, I'm really kicking myself for not taking careful aim when the yotes were just standing there in shock at my appearance-they were uphill and the dogs were in front of me but I still probably could have nailed one if not for instinctual reasoning of having the family dogs in front of me ... I had neither eye or ear protection on me , but I'm always armed when working around the ranch... I already have tinnitus and my ears are ringing ...dang!
The yotes were big and bushy and well fed looking, there are tons and tons of rabbits this yr, were they looking to establish territory?
Anyway, I'm gonna get mr ranch owner to let me use the rifles to thin those sob's out.