Hunter critically ill after shooting incident

A Tauranga hunter was accidently shot while hunting for rabbits south of Taupo late last night and is critically injured.

The 69-year-old was hunting with another man in a native forest off State Highway 1 at Hatepe – between Taupo and Turangi – about 10.30pm, when he was shot in the upper chest-shoulder area with a hunting rifle, Acting Sergeant Ross Humphrey, of Taupo police, said this morning. Both hunters had been spotlighting for rabbits.

The injured man was taken to a car and Taupo paramedics met the hunters en route to Taupo Hospital.

The man's condition was stabilised there while an emergency department doctor and advanced paramedic from Waikato Hospital flew in to assist.

The injured man was flown by the Westpac Waikato Air Ambulance to Waikato Hospital in a critical condition.

Mr Humphrey said the hunter who shot the man was traumatised by the incident.

The shooting was being treated as an accident and was being investigated by the CIB. Charges were likely. Mr Humphrey said it appeared the hunter had failed to "confirm what his target was".