Boy am I tired.  Last night I awoke at 12:21am to a dog that was barking uncontrolably.  I got up and right in my yard not 15 yards from my deck I had a coyote, and he was ticking my dog off.  I grabbed the shotgun but no shells (reminder to self, buy shells).  The only other gun I had in the house was a .243, too large to shoot at night when you cannot see your background.  So I had to tip toe to the truck and get a gun suitable for shooting at night.  By this time the idiot coyote moved right under my security light.  I finally found him through my scope and let one fly.  He went down like a lead balloon.  He was twitching a little but sure he was dead, the dog laid down and I went inside, (44 degrees is a little cold for shorts and a T-shirt).  A few minutes later the dog is at it again, I jump up and grab the spotlight and that coyote had moved on but was moving very weak.  I wanted to shoot again but my horses were chasing him, and I didn't want to hit one of them.  I observed him for awhile and he laid down right in the horse pasture and pretty soon the glow in his eyes was gone.  Sure he was dead now I went to bed and tried to sleep.  I headed out at sunup to retrieve my prey, but as the old saying goes, no blood, no bear, no hair.  The coyote was gone, proving my shot in the dark wasn't fatal.  I would have investigated further but I had to take the wife to Rapid today.  Perhaps after church tomorrow I will go look for him.  I did however purchase a spotlight to mount on my scope while in Rapid City, I hope more yotes interupt my sleep now.