He had nothing and was pushing 80 at the time.
He’d been up on the ridge putting out apples and pumpkins for the deer when the pack showed up.
It’s nothing but loose rocks the whole way down and he knew if he turned his back, he was gone so he walked backwards about 400 yards, to the truck.
It was the *one time* he didn’t have a rifle slung on his back.
He never made that mistake again.
I went hiking with our pet lab Hannity, down by the river in near state park land in the SC low country. The lab had a knack for finding coyotes. Apparently, he invaded one’s territory. I heard a commotion over the hill where Hannity had run. He brought back a howling, snarling coyote. Wish he would have brought back something useful, like an attractive blond. Like your dad, I had nothing in my hands but a leash.
The coyote was following us. I walked backwards toward the car. No way I would turn my back on the varmint and invite him to take a hunk out of my backside. If he had attacked, I would have had to hit him in the head with my bare fists.
Eventually, he stopped pursuit. I never again, walked in that area without a big stick. Usually, I was CCWing.