No charges over hunting accident, family told

The grieving family of Michael Meehan say their annual duckshooting trip will still go ahead but it will be difficult after his accidental death at the weekend.

"It was a family tradition," Mr Meehan's brother Rhys Meehan said yesterday. They were introduced to the sport as boys by their father and grandfather.

The shooting happened while the two brothers and another family member at Waiohiki, southwest of Napier, on Saturday morning.

Rhys Meehan was just 500 metres from his brother when Michael was shot.

He left to find cellphone coverage to call police and an ambulance while the other person, whom neither family nor police would identify, waited with Michael who died at the scene.

That person was "finding it pretty hard"," Mr Meehan told The Dominion Post.

"It's just a tragic accident."

Michael Meehan's sister, Deborah, said police had told the family charges would not be laid against the shooter.

Meanwhile, two Central Otago men face prosecution after shooting about 20 protected grey teal on Saturday.

Fish and Game Otago operations manager Ian Hadland described it as "the most disturbing offence".

"It appeared that they had shot at everything that came past their pond and by the time we got there the protected species outnumbered the legitimate ones by five to one," he told The Southland Times.

Penalties under the Wildlife Act for killing protected birds include up to six months in jail, a $100,000 fine or up to $5000 for illegal kill.

An estimated 45,000 shooters went hunting at the weekend at the start of the three-month season.

- NZPA