Lost poacher lucky to survive cold

A night out poaching turned into a long, freezing ordeal for a Taupo man.

Police say the 21-year-old would not have survived much longer after spending about 30 hours in bad weather and rough country at the northern end of Lake Taupo, clad only in jeans and socks.

Taupo police head Senior Sergeant Tony Jeurissen said the young man and two companions set out at mid-afternoon on Monday to walk about 1km from Kinloch village to the Otaketake stream in an area of steep bush.

They intended to poach trout and pick watercress but the man separated from his mates and became disoriented.

He had taken off his T-shirt to wrap around the watercress and lost his boots in the stream.

The others reported him missing to Taupo police on Tuesday and a search and rescue operation was mounted.

Searchers and a trained dog found the frozen man lying on the ground about 9.30 that night.

He had spent Monday night and the next day out in the open. It was wet, windy and cold, with snow on surrounding hills.

The man, who had to be carried out by stretcher, was recovering in Rotorua Hospital yesterday from hypothermia. No charges would be laid because no trout were found.

Mr Jeurissen said the man got into the predicament because of his foolishness.