Lifeguards Rush Into The Ocean To Save A Deer From Drowning At A Florida Beach: “Never Heard A Deer Before, They Yell Loud”

Didn’t see this on Baywatch, but I guess these lifeguards can add something new to their resumes: Certified Deer Rescuers.

This past Monday, a video surfaced of two lifeguards making a spectacular rescue off the coast of Flagler Beach in northeast Florida. While typically a lifeguard’s job description includes monitoring the water for signs of struggle, I suppose that doesn’t exclude animals.

Chase Hunter and Leo Peters, the two men who saved the deer, retell the rescue mission to a local Orlando news station. In videos taken by other beachgoers, the men are pictured paddling out to sea with a life board. The helpless deer is then loaded onto the board while the lifeguards push and carry the deer back to the safety of land. The white-tailed deer must have accidentally swam too far out to sea while taking a dip.

@fox35newsorlando You don’t see this everyday! Lifeguards at a Florida beach had to jump into the water to rescue…a helpless DEER! Here’s the moment those lifeguards carried the deer out of the ocean to safety. #Florida #Lifeguard #beach ♬ original sound – FOX 35 Orlando

Leo recalls hearing the deer when swimming out to save it. He says that, at first, he didn’t believe it was a deer at all. In his interview he states:

“I had never heard a deer before, and they yell. They yell loud. I got out there, I thought Chase was the one screaming”.

Here’s a video from user @howtobeagoat of a deer yelling for reference,

@howtobeagoat So apparently deer scream. #fyp #foryoupage #deer #rural ♬ original sound – Melanie

It’s a pretty jarring sound. I can’t blame him for thinking the scream came from a human.

Chase Hunter, the lifeguard that first swam out to rescue the young deer, recounts how he soothed the creature throughout the rescue. He mentions how he repeated a series of calming affirmations to the deer while they were still out at sea. In his interview Chase says,

“I was just talking to it. Just, you know, like it’s all right, I’m here to help, calm down.”

Even though the deer couldn’t understand Chase’s sentiments, it’s still a sweet gesture and a direct display of care for all life safety. Chase makes it clear that his job extends past just concern for public safety, but applies to any creature who may need extra assistance.

“We save lives, whether it’s a human life or, you know, in this case, a deer.”

The choppy water, nearby shark reports, and some unpredictable weather conditions led to a difficult search, but these lifeguards stepped up to the challenge and pulled off a terrific rescue with no injuries or significant complications.

Another perspective of the rescue was posted to TikTok by user @thecrystalgeek.

@thatcrystalgeek Deer stucknout in ocean and rescued. #fyp #viral#deer#lifeguards #ocean #deerrescue #florida #fypシ #animal #animalsoftiktok #animalrescue #news ♬ original sound – thecrystalgeek

While it may be hard to picture deer roaming a beach, it’s actually more common than you would think— especially at southern beaches. Specifically, Florida beaches have had multiple four-legged beachgoer sightings. Florida has large populations of white-tailed deer and Key deer, which are both species that prefer habitats near the coast. If you’ve ever been deep sea fishing in the Florida Keys, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

A video by TikTok user @amandacarpenter280 shows two male deer taking a dip at Panama City Beach in Florida.

@amandacarpenter280 #PCB #SpringBreak #Deerfishing #floridavibes ♬ original sound – LADbible

I guess even deer like to take a beach vacation once in a while. I only recommend that they take a swimming lesson before going.The post Lifeguards Rush Into The Ocean To Save A Deer From Drowning At A Florida Beach: “Never Heard A Deer Before, They Yell Loud” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.