Walking dogs can mean letting g them roam quite a distance if one is in the country, which it seems this was the case. Folks take dogs for walks around d us and thst means allowing the dog to run, explore, and do their thing.
Illegal in many States, during gamebird nesting seasons. Ill-advised in many places during a hunting season. In many States, coyote “season” is year-round.
They do that here in North Idaho, too. Sometimes the dogs are gone a couple of hours, sometimes a day or two.