Hunter dies on first day of duck hunting season

Photo / Chris Skelton

A father of two was killed yesterday during a family duck shooting expedition near Napier on the first day of the duck hunting season.

Labourer Michael Leslie Meehan, 47, was shot in an "unfortunate accident" while hunting in Waiohiki with his brother, Rhys Meehan, and another family member at around 10am yesterday.

Napier police and St John's ambulance attended, but Meehan, who had a partner of 28 years and two children, died at the scene.

Rhys Meehan said the hunting trip was an annual family tradition, and his brother was shot just 500m away from him. "It's something we do every year and he was a very, very experienced shooter. There were three of us out there and it happened about 500m away from me.

"It's very much an unfortunate accident and we're just being together as a family at the moment."

He declined to comment on who fired the fatal shot.

Napier CIB Detective Senior Sergeant Nick Reid said the fatal gunshot was not self-inflicted and the death has been reported to the coroner.

"This tragedy highlights the need for extreme care in handling firearms and taking heed of the firearm safety rules," he said.

Mountain Safety Council firearms manager Mike Spray said there were more than 45,000 people out hunting this weekend, and stressed the importance of following rules.

"The vast majority of hunters are responsible. It is just the one or two who get complacent and don't follow safety rules and that's when things go wrong," he said. "Accidents tend to get a high profile and gives perception they happen more often."

Spray said the council did a lot of work emphasising safety in the lead up to duck hunting season.

"Duck hunters need to take extra care because ducks are on the move so the fire zone is always moving."

Police will consider this week whether to lay charges.