KEY POINTS:
Police are considering laying charges after a hunter was shot dead when mistaken for a deer.
William (Bill) Douglas Prentice White, 40, of Stoke, near Nelson, died late on Tuesday night after being shot about 4pm in the Rough River area west of Reefton.
"Mr White was mistaken for a deer and died from a single gunshot fired by one of his companions," said Detective Constable Tania Jellyman of Greymouth.
Mr White was married but didn't have any children.
Ms Jellyman said the hunter and his two companions went into the area on Monday and had intended staying for a week. The three had known one another for 20 years and hunted together regularly. All three families were devastated.
Mr White's companions, who walked out for more than eight hours to raise the alarm, were co-operating fully with the police who were now considering laying charges, she said.
Mr White's body was recovered yesterday afternoon. His widow Denise spoke of her shock last night.
"It's too hard to talk about," she said. "He was a real hunting, fishing outdoors sort of person and he was actually doing the thing he loved most when he got killed.
"He was always down in the Marlborough Sounds and what-have-you."
She said her husband had been hunting pretty much all his life.
"I don't know exactly what's happened ... The guys have only just got back ... They had a hell of a journey out."
Mrs White said she would talk to the two men in time.
Detective Sergeant Paul Tricklebank said it was more than likely charges would be laid.
"We've spoken to all the people involved and they've been fully co-operative."
Mr White's body was airlifted to Christchurch Hospital yesterday for an autopsy.
"Over the next few days we will examine all the information we have gathered and then look at fault or culpability, if any, and then make a recommendation and put it through to our legal section," Mr Tricklebank said.
He said Mr White had died from a single shot to the upper body.
The three men, who were experienced hunters, flew into the bush by helicopter, expecting to stay until Saturday.
Mr White was shot when his friend mistook him for a deer.
"He moved forward to see what sort of deer he'd got and unfortunately he discovered he'd shot Mr White," Mr Tricklebank said. "It appeared to be pretty instantaneous."
There was no cellphone coverage in the area.
The group had hunted in the area together for the past four years.
"It took about an hour for the friend to find the third person [Mr White's brother] who was hunting in another area. By this time it was nearly dark. They couldn't walk out because it was raining and the river was up."
The men decided to spend the night in the bush with the body. The next day they walked for eight hours to raise the alarm. "Everybody's pretty fragile at the moment. Both families knew each other very well and they were close friends."
