KEY POINTS:
William White's brother was one of the men with him when the 40-year-old Nelson man was shot and killed by one of his hunting companions last week.
Bill White, of Stoke, was accidentally shot in the chest after being mistaken for a deer by either his brother or
one of his best mates on Tuesday.
The trio had been shooting in the Rough River Valley west of Reefton, an area the men, who had been hunting together for 20 years, knew well.
They had flown in to the bush by helicopter and were on the second day of a week-long expedition, timed to coincide with the annual roar, when the accident happened.
Miles from help, it took White's two companions more than eight hours to trek out of the hills to raise the alarm.
Police say White died from a single shot from a .308. He had been wearing khaki clothes and had a high-visibility cap. His body was recovered on Thursday and was airlifted to Christchurch Hospital for an autopsy.
White worked for Toll Owens Transport.
His widow, Denise, has described him as a good Kiwi bloke who was passionate about the outdoors and who lived life to the full. His brother-in-law Andy Kelman, who made a frantic dash from London to be with his sister yesterday, said all the families involved were devastated.
"It's been harrowing for everyone, truly horrific. The three had a really, really close friendship. They were best mates, and they were very, very experienced hunters. It should never have happened." Kelman said his sister, a teacher, was "obviously traumatised, and really close to the edge".
Having another close family member involved was doubly upsetting.
"It's the worst reason for me being here. It's just a tragic, tragic mistake," he said.
His sister had met White, who grew up in Nelson, in London, while he was doing his OE 13 years ago. The couple had no children of their own.
It is expected charges will be laid sometime this week.
White's death, the 40th fatal shooting of a hunter in New Zealand since 1979, has raised questions about the effectiveness of high-visibility clothing in the outdoors.
Trevor Dyke, of the New Zealand Deer Stalkers Association, told the Herald on Sunday that some blaze colours had been found to merge or be absorbed into the background. Hunters should be aware of the vegetation and be selective about the colours they wore.
"You need to consider the area you are going in to. You can get a really bright yellow, but if you're somewhere where there's a lot of lemonwood, then it will virtually disappear altogether."
Bright blue was now being recommended as the best colour to wear in the bush, Dyke said.
He said hunters needed to work out a plan and stick to it when shooting with companions. Bravado and "the rush of the roar" had no place in the outdoors.
"If you don't stick to a plan and you change your minds, then you suffer the consequences.
"It really boils down to self-discipline."
