The body of a 29-year-old Auckland hunter shot dead on a Wairarapa hunting trip has been returned to his family.
Alexander Cameron McDonald, known as Cam, was shot dead by a member of a different hunting party in an area of thick forest in the Aorangi Ranges near Pirinoa on Saturday afternoon.
He had been on deer hunting trip with a 59-year-old family friend who was understood to be an experienced hunter.
Police today said Mr McDonald's body had been returned to his family after a post-mortem examination was carried out in Palmerston North yesterday.
The results were not yet available and the investigation was likely to take several weeks.
Inquiry head Detective Senior Sergeant Sean Hansen said there would be a full and thorough investigation before a decision on charges was made.
A legal opinion on whether to lay charges was more likely to take weeks than days.