A photographer at any risk?

I was enjoying strolling an overgrown trail in the early evening ready to photograph whatever I might see. Suddenly, without a sound, appearing from the heavy grass and bushes I witnessed the perfect photo composition.

Trotting toward me and a little too close for comfort was a coyote in pursuit of a skunk. The skunk waddled along at a fast pace, tail high in the air. Fully engaged in their interaction, neither noticed me standing right before them.

The skunk was closing in on me at a much too uncomfortable pace. My first instinct was to pull my camera up and get the shot, but then wisdom told me that once the skunk realized I was there, spray was the next likely probability.
So, instead of shooting, I raised my arms and yelled, “hey”. Still intent on the chase, they didn’t notice my presence and continued to close in on me. I yelled again, even louder. I got the coyote’s attention and he bolted into the brush. The skunk paused, listened and I told him to scram. At this point I pulled my camera up and got a quick shot as evidence of this story. Recognizing that he was no longer a potential victim of the coyote, and that I was standing in his path, he waddled off into the brush.

Afterward I was a little disappointed that I didn’t take the risk and get the amazing image that is etched in my mind of the coyote hot on the tail of the skunk. My wife is glad I didn’t.

Would a hard-core wildlife photographer taken the risk?