Police have released a photo of a fatal hunting scene in a bid to illustrate how easy it is for hunting accidents to happen.
Danny Rion Jordan, 23, was shot accidentally yesterday when he was shooting in the Ruahine Ranges with two Army friends. Mr Jordan was shot by another hunter who was not part of his hunting group.
Detective Sergeant Jason Crowe said Mr Jordan was shot as he and his two friends were sitting on the Sparrowhawk bivouac walking track, taking a break from their tramp into their hunting area.
While most hunting accidents occurred in heavy bush or rugged terrain, this one was different in that it occurred in open bush on a DOC track used to access the Ruahine Ranges.
“The shooting is an example of what can happen when firearms safety rules are not followed and hunters don’t identify their targets properly,” Mr Crowe said.
Police are urging all hunters to exercise extreme caution when in the bush and not to get carried away by the start of the new hunting season.
“Don’t let the excitement of the roar affect your ability to make the right safety decisions. As this case illustrates, a small mistake can have fatal consequences.”
There are seven basic rules covered in the Firearms Safety Code that hunters should abide by, including identifying your target properly and handling firearms safely.
“We can’t stress enough the importance of these rules and urge anyone using firearms to follow them to the letter,” Mr Crowe said.
The police investigation into the incident is ongoing.
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Any media queries to Eastern District Communications Manager Kris McGehan on 06 8310786.
