Lets set the scene a little better. On the 10 miles of dirt road to get to my house (it continues on much further) there are exactly 5 houses, to include mine and neighbors, that can be directly accessed from the road. With one more house where the rancher lives a bit over a mile further out, after which the road continues even further into the boonies. I am on a hill top and can see for miles and for 360 degrees from horizon to horizon there are 10 houses, not all of which are occupied.
Where the vehicle parked was the only spot where they can observe both our houses, though they would have had a clearer view of his. Where his wife, young daughter and mother-in-law are often home alone at night. There isn't much in the way of people just passing through as the road doesn't really go any place. It splits past the ranch house with one branch petering out to the south and the other branch leading to an even more middle of nowhere spot in NM. You either belong there or you don't and people who do, know that. Hence why the lady with flat tire (who lived further past us) put on her flashers to make it obvious she wasn't trying to hide as it sure wasn't concern for nonexistent traffic. The only odd thing that attracted attention in her case was the indistinct yelling of her kid.
There are meth heads and other assorted bad guys out here because they like the fact the cops NEVER patrol the area. The general area has long been used by smugglers (even before the US Highway was put in) as it was (and still is) the only route that goes from the Mex border up to Canada without passing through a city of any size. It is still used for smuggling to this day and also as a place to conduct business or dump a body off down a side road such as mine.
So more often then not a vehicle just hanging around after dark is a warning sign. As unlike city dwellers we don't have the umbrella of protection given by police patrols. No cop is going to pull up and politely ask them what they are doing parked out here.
The idea was prevention. I would much rather waste a bullet into the dirt then have to later shoot it into a person (even a bad guy) or come home to a ransacked house. There was zero chance of hitting my dogs, the car, my neighbor coming up the other side of the road along his fence line or a neighbor's house. As I posted already, If they had bad intentions they are reconsidering them now. If they didn't then other then a bit of a scare no harm came to them.
As for neighbors calling the cops for hearing a shot, there are four of us within a square mile. The closest was right there with the same idea, and the only two others in the area (but can't be reached directly from the road) are both older couples with disabilities who greatly appreciate us keeping an eye out. No one calls the cops over a shot out here (nor would the sheriff even respond), we simply check with each other to make sure everyone is safe.
Which of these two situations are preferable...
1: Guy gets backed into a corner by 3 guys he has never seen before in a parking lot. Happening in mere seconds they tell him what they are going to do and he knows what's coming but can't get away. He tells them he has a gun but they just laugh as it's CA after all. They jump him and he pulls out his carry pistol and shoots one dead and the rest scatter. High 5's all around for following the laws as he didn't pull pistol until they actually attacked him and a legal shoot right?
2: Guy minding his own business gets backed into a corner by 3 guys he has never seen before in a parking lot. Happening in mere seconds they tell him what they are going to do and he knows what's coming but can't get away. He tells them he has a gun but they just laugh as it's CA after all. However before they jump him he moves his jacket to let then see his pistol. Three guys suddenly decide they have prior business elsewhere so he doesn't have to shoot anyone and they all go home that night. But oh no you say, that's illegal brandishing, he wasn't a responsible gun owner, etc, etc, etc.
The second version is what happened to a guy I know and in my opinion was by far the more desired outcome of the two. Despite the fact that modern gun owners have been conditioned to see it as illegal.
