UPDATED: A Rotorua man described as a sporting mentor to many has been killed after being shot while out hunting with a mate.
Police has named the victim as James Dodds, 30, affectionately known as "Dodzy".
The body of hunter has this morning been removed from the bush in the Waikite Valley near Rotorua.
Although flying conditions remained poor a brief window in the weather allowed Search and Rescue staff and a rescue helicopter to winch the body out at 8.15 am.
Staff involved described this as a difficult operation which took place in dense bush and steep terrain.
The body was flown to Rotorua Hospital and will be transported to Auckland later today where a post-mortem examination will be carried out.
"We have completed our scene examination, but our CIB staff still have a lot work ahead of them before the investigation can be completed" Rotorua Area Commander Inspector Bruce Horne said.
"The firearms involved and some other items will require forensic testing.
"Over the next few days we will be reviewing all of the evidence, including information from witnesses and the outcome of the post-mortem examination to reconstruct the event and develop a full understanding of what occurred.
"Our investigation will be thorough and will take some time. It is important to approach these cases with an open mind and make decisions based on the evidence. The police investigation will be help inform the coronial process.
"This case is an absolute tragedy and all of the families involved are suffering a most awful grief.
"However this case is also a harsh reminder of the critical importance of hunters ensuring they positively identify their target beyond any doubt before they shoot."
Within hours of the tragedy, dozens of messages of sympathy and support were left on Mr Dodds' and his partner Gabrielle Molloy's Facebook pages.
Ms Molloy posted yesterday "today the love of my life James 'Dodzy' Dodds lost his life in a tragic accident.
"He was the most inspiring, loving, caring, clever human being. I love you Dodzy, so so much baby".
Mr Dodds' best friend and business partner Jeff Carter said his friend, who was full of life, would be sorely missed by many people.
"We are all in disbelief ... He was just one of the most alive guys. He was into mountain biking, motocross and hunting. He was an awesome mentor to a lot of people in New Zealand and around the world. He's really going to be missed."
Friends were also thinking of the other man that was involved.
"Our hearts go out to the guy that was with him. He must be feeling terrible," Mr Carter said.
The Rotorua Mountain Bike Club paid tribute to Mr Dodds on its Facebook page, saying "New Zealand mountain biking lost one of our favourite sons in a tragic accident this morning. James Dodds was a legendary rider, trail builder and a fantastic skills teacher. A lot of us owe our trail skills to him and Gabby. He was one of those people who took your breath away with his almost supernatural talent on a bike. He will be missed wherever a fast and flowing trail rolls. RIP Dodzy ..."
Life member of the club and Rotorua District Councillor Dave Donaldson said he knew both men involved in the incident.
"It's just an incredibly sad and tragic situation... He [Mr Dodds] was a terribly talented mountainbiker and well respected trail builder ... My heart just aches."
One person posted on Facebook: "I'm so shocked and saddened to hear of your loss. Dodzy was a super awesome human being and I feel privileged to have spent time with him."
Another said: "I cannot believe you are having to deal with such a tragedy and I am really thinking of you in this very difficult time."
Ricky Pincott wrote: "Saddest news ever. NZ and the world has lost one of its true legends."
The incident unfolded about 8am yesterday in Waikite Valley.
The normally quiet rural settlement of Waikite Valley was in lockdown as armed police swooped on the area after a report of a shooting.
Inspector Bruce Horne said a police armed offenders squad returning from an unrelated incident was diverted to the scene after a local man in his 30s alerted them of the fatal shooting.
Police cordoned off Te Kopia Rd and armed offenders squad members scoured an area below the Paeroa Ranges about 12km up the rural road as a helicopter hovered above.
The men had been in heavy bush on one side of a ridgeline more than 600m above sea level when Mr Dodds was shot, just before 8am.
Minutes later his hunting partner dashed, distressed and disorientated, to a high point to get cellphone coverage and called police.
"That person reported that there had been an accident and that he had fatally shot a hunting partner," Mr Horne said.
Mr Dodds' body was reached by police in the afternoon, in steep and rugged terrain off Te Kopia Rd.
Police said the body had to remain in the bush overnight after weather conditions and low cloud ruled out a helicopter extraction.
The man helping police was in a distressed state, Mr Horne said.
"Based on the information we have at this stage, it appears that the shooting was accidental and another tragic reminder of the absolute necessity for hunters to properly identify their target before they shoot."
Dairy farmer Angela Brown said the first she knew anything was up was when she noticed a police car at the beginning of the road with flashing lights on then two police cars filled with armed police speeding up the road.
The area was well used by hunters all year round, Mrs Brown said.
"We didn't know what was happening. We could hear a helicopter ... everyone goes up there hunting. We get people stopping and asking all the time if they can go through the farm to go hunting."
About 12km up Te Kopia Rd, Kayleigh Collins said her early morning quiet was interrupted by the buzzing of a helicopter but it wasn't until her partner came in from milking she realised there was something serious up.
"I heard the chopper and I was peeking under the curtains. I didn't know what was going on but thought there must have been a hunter loose.
"When my partner went to ask he was told to go away," she said.
Another woman who didn't want to be named said children on the school bus must have been terrified when they saw armed police driving up the road.
"You could see the rifles. Those kids would have freaked out ... normally nothing happens around here. It's as boring as, but not today."
Meanwhile, police firearms vetting officer John Ransfield said it was concerning to hear of another accidental hunting tragedy.
"It's unbelievable - just terrible."
Sadly, inexperience wasn't an excuse in some cases, Mr Ransfield said. His concern is those who drank alcohol or smoked drugs before heading out.
"A lot of them are hyped up before they even get out there and they think everything that moves is a deer. Even the most experienced hunters are shooting their mates."
Education was the answer.
"We have to get them at school when they are young."
Mountain Safety Council programme manager Mike Spray said sadly this was the third hunting related death this year.
Only a few weeks ago, Chris Dummer, a former president of the Wellington Deer Stalkers Association, was sentenced to nine months' jail for the accidental shooting of a hunter in Aorangi Forest Park at Easter weekend.
Mr Spray said 12 of the 20 hunting deaths in the last decade (2002-2011) involved deer hunting, with 10 of the deaths caused by someone in the same hunting party.
"There are one or two deaths per year. Absolutely none are acceptable, they are all avoidable. Three deaths is a lot in context of other years ... hunting is a safe recreational activity compared to the number of drownings with 120 last year."
He said if all hunters followed the fundamental and basic rules of firearm safety there would be zero non-intentional deaths.
FATAL SHOOTINGS
October 2010 Lower Hutt teacher Rosemary Ives, 25, was shot dead after her head torch was mistaken for a deer's eyes while camping in Kaimanawa Forest Park. Spotlighting hunter Andrew Mears was released in January after serving 11 months of a two-and-a-half year sentence.
April 2011 In April last year Roger Kirk, 64, husband of former National Party president Judy Kirk accidentally shot himself in a fall on a rural property near Taupo.
December 2011 Dougal Fyfe, 23, was shot dead by good friend Reuben Burke near Wanaka after being mistaken for a deer. Burke pleaded guilty to careless use of a firearm and was sentenced to seven months' home detention, 300 hours' community work, and had his firearms licence revoked.
May 2011 Phillip Eric Bright, 53, died after he was shot once on the family farm near Waiuku, on the opening day of the duck hunting season.
April 7 Aucklander Cam McDonald, 29, was shot and killed by another hunter in Wairarapa's Aorangi Forest Park.
April 29 Southlander Mark Vanderley, 26, was shot dead by a friend in his hunting party while they were spotlighting for deer on a Southland farmland.