Rifle Blasts! 10 Feet From My Head As I Slept!

Today I woke at 5:40AM to 2 rifles blasts 10 feet from my head!  My husband was up for work and saw a very large coyote only 25 yards from where we keep the puppies!  They were all safe indoors with Momma but that's much too close for me!  He ran for his rifle and sent two shots just behind his heels!  We have an agreement with the coyotes.  We have 160 acres.  They can use 155 acres and we use 5.  Seems incredibly fair to me!  But when they come sniffing around my dogs, or any livestock we might have at the time, that's not allowed.  First time is warning shots.  Next time, no warning shot.  

I've had one of my old retired girls killed by a cougar so I can't take the chance of having any predators close by.  Fish & Wildlife asked if I wanted that cougar shot and I said no.  It was just being a cougar.  They felt it was a young male, just on it's own from it's mother and wasn't very good at hunting yet.  I said if it came back, then yes, as that would mean there was a pattern and who knows what it might go after, after that.  But it never did, thankfully.  But that was one of the most horrific experiences of my life.  Poor Kahlua.  He daughter Indy came to her rescue but the damage was so bad, she had to be euthanized.  

But today was not a good day for predators.  Thankfully Trinity was going crazy outside which caused Mark to look out the window.  The other dogs hadn't smelled it yet I guess.  Good thing we have lots of sentry dogs!

But all is well and the puppies and Maya never knew the difference.  But we will be extra vigilant!

Mary Ann