Dead hunter applied strict safety criteria

By STACEY BODGER

ROTORUA - Beau Fathers and his cousin Simon spent four minutes trying to identify the object they could see moving through bush while hunting in the Mamaku Ranges.

Maybe it was a deer. Maybe it was other hunters.

Simon, aged 24, was still peering through his riflescope when he heard a shot ring out. He thought Beau, 15, had confirmed it was a deer and fired.

When he turned around he found his cousin lying on the ground with a bullet wound to his chest from a shot fired by another hunter in the Horohoro Bluffs area of the ranges on Friday.

The man ran to assist the pair but Beau died several minutes later as Simon knelt beside him, performing first aid and encouraging him to "hang in there."

Yesterday Beau's parents, Ernie and Kerry, spoke of their disbelief from their home near Rotorua, where Beau lay in an open casket while friends and family rallied in support.

"We just can't believe he died this way," Mr Fathers said. "Beau was such a safety-conscious hunter - we drummed into him that the first law of hunting is to identify your target."

Mr Fathers drove Beau and Simon into the Mamaku Ranges, where they planned to hunt deer and camp overnight.

He was fencing on a nearby farm when he saw the Tranz Rail rescue helicopter winching someone out of the bush.

"I hoped it wasn't the boys but thought it couldn't be because they've hunted there often and nothing's ever happened," he said.

Mr Fathers said Beau hunted with him from a young age and was an accomplished clay bird shooter. He was also a talented cricketer. Mrs Fathers said Beau loved life and was very close to his extended family.

"The only good I can see coming out of this is making other people more cautious next time they're out hunting."

Senior Sergeant Dave Donaldson, of the Rotorua police, said it had still to be decided if charges would be laid against the hunter.

It is the second time this month that a person has been accidentally killed by another hunter.

Ngaroma farm manager Russell Welch, 31, was shot in Pureora Forest on April 2. Craig Moorhead, 39, of Hahei, was sentenced to two years' supervision and fined $2000.