A deer got stuck in the wild surf at a Monmouth County beach in New Jersey as Hurricane Sandy loomed Sunday afternoon, its presence threatening with dark skies and whipping winds.

NBC 4 New York's cameras were at Monmouth Beach Sunday afternoon when the deer was spotted attempting the navigate the breaking surf. A barrier of rocks prevented the deer from being able to get back on the beach, and the animal ran helplessly in the waters.

A resident who was on the beach attemped to chase what appeared to be a young buck parallel to the shoreline to get it to a point where the rocks ended and the sand began.

"I didn't want him to get in the rocks, so I was just trying to force him out, scare him almost," said Joe Schaedel. "He was very confused, scared by everything."

Schaedel said he's an outdoorsman and an animal lover.

"I'd hate to see a young deer like that get killed in the rocks," he said.

Animal Control and Humane Society responded and tranquilized the deer, which was found with a broken leg. ACHS has taken it into its care in hopes of nursing it back to health.