Police are reiterating their firearm safety messages after a 17-year-old was shot and injured by a hunting mate on a Southland farm in the early hours of yesterday morning.
The teen and his companions were spotlighting for deer with a vehicle on a property near Orepuki when he was shot, Detective Dougall Henderson said.
He was taken to Southland Hospital and was in a stable condition following surgery.
The members of the hunting group were helping police with inquiries.
Mr Henderson said the shooting served as a timely reminder for hunters to follow the seven basic rules of firearm safety.
