A Wanaka man has admitted careless use of a firearm after shooting his best friend when he mistook him for a deer.
Reuben Kenneth James Burke (24) shot Dougal Disston Stanfield Fyfe with a .22 calibre rifle on December 19 last year near Wanaka.
Queenstown District Court court heard today Burke had been with Mr Fyfe and another associate on December 18 at a Christmas party near Wanaka when the trio decided to go eeling at Lake Wanaka.
Having set an eel trap they decided to go rabbit shooting and afterwards went back to check the eel trap.
Prosecuting Sergeant Ian Collin said the trio were driving back along Mangawera Valley Rd, about 10km from the Wanaka township, about 1am on December 19 when they spotted a deer at Mt Burke Station.