Thread: Hunter shot in Kaimai Range near Te Aroha

I had a "discussion" with an older "acquaintance" once about a shooting death. I think the shooting happened in the 70's. The guy was a very experienced hunter and was hunting from a camp with some young boys (scouts or similar I think). Anyhow; he was hunting with one of them and sent the boy back to camp. The hunter saw a deer and shot at it. If I remember rightly he winged it. Anyway; the young fella on his way back to camp heard the shot and turned around and came back to see what had been shot. The hunter was looking for the deer; saw a movement; fired and killed the boy..... :-(

I maintained that the hunter should have been tried for manslaughter for firing at movement. He did go to court but got let off because there was not meant to be anyone else in the area and it "wasn't the hunter's fault". The "acquaintance" was a friend of his and reckoned that the verdict was right. Whereas I adamantly reckoned that it was bullshit. Firing at movement for god's sake..... His continued argument was that no one else was allowed in the area. I brought up the fact that a lost tramper etc (and many other scenarios) could have wandered in etc; but I couldn't get him to change his opinion. It did get a tad heated ;-) And; the acquaintance" was a hunter..... Scary shit....