By Olivia Davis | Aug 26, 2026
Red Dead Redemption 2's massive open world has always been full of secrets, with developers packing in small details and hidden mysteries that players are still uncovering years later. While this particular incident is far more likely a glitch than something intentionally designed, it's still an experience most players say they've never come across before.
A Coyote Encounter That Wouldn't Stay Dead
The player, known online as cheesy_guy01, has completed six separate playthroughs of the game and has spent well over 1,000 hours exploring its world. During one session, they shared a video capturing a strange run-in with a coyote near the Stilt Shack, a location sometimes associated with characters Wendell White and Sampson Black. In the clip, Arthur breaks open the door to the darkened shack, only to be met by a pair of glowing eyes staring back at him. After a brief moment of adjustment, those eyes turn out to belong to a coyote standing eerily still in the shadows. After a tense pause, Arthur kicks the coyote, causing it to bolt from the shack, but that's when things take an even stranger turn.
Arthur steps outside to follow the coyote's trail, only to find that it seems to disappear almost immediately. Assuming the encounter was over, the player heads back inside the shack and begins collecting nearby items. Suddenly, a panting sound breaks the silence, and turning around reveals the same glowing eyes once again staring out from the darkness. This time, cheesy_guy01 wasn't willing to take any chances and immediately shot the coyote down.
Fans React With a Mix of Theories and Nervous Laughter
Under normal circumstances, animals aren't supposed to behave this way in the game, and the coyote's unnervingly still, staring presence, rather than typical fleeing or attacking behavior, has left many players uneasy. While most agree it was likely just a rendering or spawning glitch, others have jokingly suggested the coyote might be some kind of in-game skinwalker. Several fans admitted they probably would have reacted just as defensively if they'd stumbled onto the same glowing eyes twice in a cramped, dark room.
Moments like this highlight just how much hidden detail Red Dead Redemption 2 still holds, even years after release, with plenty more content still on the horizon. In September, players will get access to the unofficial Nuevo Paraiso expansion, which introduces a playable trip to Mexico and puts Sadie Adler in the spotlight as a playable character. Whether fans continue uncovering secrets in the base game or turn to community-made content for something new, Red Dead Redemption 2 remains a title that keeps drawing players back in.
