Near is a relative term.
I live in the country and consider myself ‘near’ my home if I am a mile of my home.
I think the hunter must have been very bored because shooting a coyote is a dumb move for a deer hunter.
Assuming he was using a gun (it’s gun season) his shot scared off any deer that my have wandered into his hunting field of fire.
I agree that it was a dumb move....unless, of course, the dog was up to no good when he shot it.