Most of the Coyotes I see in Point Reyes are solitary, or in pairs during mating season. It stands to reason since they almost exclusively prey on small rodents that there wouldn’t be much if any advantage to hunting in packs. If anything, a pack-mate is just a potential tipoff for a skittish gopher or vole.
I heard this pack before I saw them. A chorus of yipping started on the other side of a hill. That often happens right around sunset, but this was mid afternoon. I found a place to park and waited in a field, hoping they would come over the hill. Soon enough, a Coyote stalked over the hill, followed by another, then another, then two more, and finally a fifth Coyote. The most I’ve ever seen in one place.
They mostly stayed spread out, but these three were kind of enough to briefly pose together. A nicer background and a slightly closer look would have made this a perfect encounter, but I was pretty pleased with this family portrait!