docholiday Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 I just cant imagine being in this situation how the hell do you cope with life after doing this http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/6160586/Hunters-regret-will-last-forever-police Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cockercas Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 Holy ****. Reminds me of a similar story when a fox shooter shot some bloke wearing nv goggles. He was watching badgers and the lamp reflected of the nv. So the bloke pulled the trigger. I think he lived tho Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phaedra1106 Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 Tragic, but how do you mistake someones head for a Deer?, and just to add insult to injury he was in "Wanaka", possibly a misspelling I think :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosd Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 Jesus Christ! I don't know if I could ever pick up a gun again, you can't even begin to fathom how this guy feels right now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docholiday Posted December 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 Tragic, but how do you mistake someones head for a Deer?, and just to add insult to injury he was in "Wanaka", possibly a misspelling I think :( No its a fantastic area for hunting in New Zealand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vipa Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 (edited) Tragic but as the police said... oh so avoidable! What interested me was the attitude of the Aus police, seems similar to that of the Americans.. 'Hunting accidents happen' If this had been in the UK, there would be no doubt of him being charged and prosecuted for manslaughter.. Edit... New Zealand, not Aus Edited December 19, 2011 by Vipa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phaedra1106 Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 No its a fantastic area for hunting in New Zealand. I was alluding to the possibility of an extra middle "a" given the circumstances. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docholiday Posted December 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 (edited) Tragic but as the police said... oh so avoidable! What interested me was the attitude of the Aus police, seems similar to that of the Americans.. 'Hunting accidents happen' If this had been in the UK, there would be no question of him being charged and prosecuted for manslaughter.. Edit... New Zealand, not Aus I think If I have learned anything its that mistakes happen. I am sure we will have a lot of comments about how stupid, i would never do that etc. but I am old enough and stupid enough to realise if its possible it will happen, just makes you think though, I once had an accidental discharge of my 6.5 x 55, fortunately for me i was on my own and the bullet went into the ground ahead of me. I always thought I was as safe as could be, but that scared me to death, think I was white and shaking for a week after that, just realising what could have happened. this chap is going to go through hell as are the family and friends of the guy who was shot. just an awful situation Edited December 19, 2011 by docholiday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vipa Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 (edited) I think If I have learned anything its that mistakes happen. I am sure we will have a lot of comments about how stupid, i would never do that etc. but I am old enough and stupid enough to realise if its possible it will happen, just makes you think though, I once had an accidental discharge of my 6.5 x 55, fortunately for me i was on my own and the bullet went into the ground ahead of me. I always thought I was as safe as could be, but that scared me to death, think I was white and shaking for a week after that, just realising what could have happened. this chap is going to go through hell as are the family and friends of the guy who was shot. just an awful situation I think If I have learned anything its that mistakes happen. I am sure we will have a lot of comments about how stupid, i would never do that etc. but I am old enough and stupid enough to realise if its possible it will happen, just makes you think though, I once had an accidental discharge of my 6.5 x 55, fortunately for me i was on my own and the bullet went into the ground ahead of me. I always thought I was as safe as could be, but that scared me to death, think I was white and shaking for a week after that, just realising what could have happened. this chap is going to go through hell as are the family and friends of the guy who was shot. just an awful situation As you say, hard to imagine... I'm sure a lot just wouldn't be able to cope!! I've never had an 'incident' (not saying I couldn't) but I've never had that kind of 'shock.' I'm sure when it happens it is slightly sobering, I always feel safer when I'm out on my own rather than with someone else! The stalker I used to use in Northumberland always insisted one up the pipe and safety on, I always felt VERY uncomfortable with this, especially as he also likes you to be right up his backside when stalking. Don't get me wrong, my muzzle awareness is spot on but I much prefer closed bolt over full mag whilst moving, then chambered and safety if static. sorry, swaying from the OP there... thoughts and prayers are with all concerned, even if there's little chance of someone from NZ reading this! Edited December 19, 2011 by Vipa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdubya Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 easy mistake to make back of someones head and a deer are so alike KW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docholiday Posted December 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2011 easy mistake to make back of someones head and a deer are so alike KW And there is the first one. congratulations Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat g Posted December 20, 2011 Report Share Posted December 20, 2011 Totally agree with Vipa's statement. A closed bolt over the magazine is the the safest way to go when carrying a rifle and a method that i use all the time,although it would'nt have avoided this tradgedy. ATB, Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.I.A Posted December 20, 2011 Report Share Posted December 20, 2011 How would you cope with that! If it were me id never touch a gun ever again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JR1960 Posted December 20, 2011 Report Share Posted December 20, 2011 Hopefully even more sobering for those of you who shoot on land with multiple permissions, I've lamped as a guest on a few places only to find out later that other people were shooting the same piece of ground at the same time, unbeknown to my host. In one instance there were at leat half a dozen others lamping the same farm on the same night......never again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamekeeper1960 Posted December 20, 2011 Report Share Posted December 20, 2011 I think If I have learned anything its that mistakes happen. I am sure we will have a lot of comments about how stupid, i would never do that etc. but I am old enough and stupid enough to realise if its possible it will happen, just makes you think though, I once had an accidental discharge of my 6.5 x 55, fortunately for me i was on my own and the bullet went into the ground ahead of me. I always thought I was as safe as could be, but that scared me to death, think I was white and shaking for a week after that, just realising what could have happened. this chap is going to go through hell as are the family and friends of the guy who was shot. just an awful situation Hi doc, Had a very similar incident happen to me good few years back a very good friend call round and asked if I could have a look at his son's over and under as his son had said it gone off without him pulling the trigger ( he thought he'd just been careless )so I stripped and cleaned checked sears the lot made sure it was cocking properly every thing seemed fine so took it to give it a try with a mate of mine, where I used it all afternoon without a hitch then just as we were about to pack up I stood talking and I had this gun layed over my arm loaded we were about to walk the last bit of the wood my friend ahead of me when without any warning this thing let loose the bottom barrel thank god my mate was a couple of yard ahead or this this would have taken out his legs ! needless to say this gun was never used again as was given to a loacal gunsmith for parts. But oh my god it still make me cringe .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted December 20, 2011 Report Share Posted December 20, 2011 Tragic. There was a similar incident in Devon years ago, guy shot his stepson(?) when two groups split up while out foxing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docholiday Posted December 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2011 Hopefully even more sobering for those of you who shoot on land with multiple permissions, I've lamped as a guest on a few places only to find out later that other people were shooting the same piece of ground at the same time, unbeknown to my host. In one instance there were at leat half a dozen others lamping the same farm on the same night......never again. Thats happened to me, out lamping rabbits and came across a bunch of kids with air rifles. seems the farmer just made it a free for all, went home early that night, thinking what if...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdubya Posted December 20, 2011 Report Share Posted December 20, 2011 And there is the first one. congratulations different thing altogether accidental discharge I have done it others have done it, to aim and squeeze the trigger on an obviously unidentified target is inexcusable,and if you think shooting someone in the back of the head because he thought it was deer is an accident you have a problem, taking ashot at a target you have NOT 100% identified is non negotiable, so he should not have taken the shot simple as, it's not an accident that's an unintentional act, pulling the trigger is intentional therefore its manslaughter at the very least, sorry if my view does not fit your model but its my view and my entitlement, and I know while out shooting with others which view I would prefare IE safe or sorry? KW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted December 20, 2011 Report Share Posted December 20, 2011 I once lamped, but didn't raise my rifle to, what looked like some eyes of deer running alongside us when I was rabbit shooting a golf course. We kept the lamp on them as I had never seen deer there before, as they got closer we popped the filter off to see what we were looking at. Turned out it was the reflectors in the wheels of kids bikes riding along a footpath :blink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdubya Posted December 20, 2011 Report Share Posted December 20, 2011 (edited) Tragic but as the police said... oh so avoidable! What interested me was the attitude of the Aus police, seems similar to that of the Americans.. 'Hunting accidents happen' If this had been in the UK, there would be no doubt of him being charged and prosecuted for manslaughter.. Edit... New Zealand, not Aus fact is pulling the trigger on an unidentified target is not an accident its a chosen decision, and manslaughter fits the bill nicely KW Edited December 20, 2011 by kdubya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkeye Posted December 20, 2011 Report Share Posted December 20, 2011 Have to agree with kdubya you don't pull the trigger till you are 100% sure its the right target it was just pure negligence but he now has to live with it for the rest of his life Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docholiday Posted December 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2011 (edited) different thing altogether accidental discharge I have done it others have done it, to aim and squeeze the trigger on an obviously unidentified target is inexcusable,and if you think shooting someone in the back of the head because he thought it was deer is an accident you have a problem, taking ashot at a target you have NOT 100% identified is non negotiable, so he should not have taken the shot simple as, it's not an accident that's an unintentional act, pulling the trigger is intentional therefore its manslaughter at the very least, sorry if my view does not fit your model but its my view and my entitlement, and I know while out shooting with others which view I would prefare IE safe or sorry? KW It doesnt but then I am not suprised. seems you are at ods with the law as well, see police report. I am sure when he pulled the trigger he was convinced it was a deer. and thats when the mistake occured. Edited December 20, 2011 by docholiday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdubya Posted December 20, 2011 Report Share Posted December 20, 2011 (edited) It doesnt but then I am not suprised. seems you are at ods with the law as well, see police report. I am sure when he pulled the trigger he was convinced it was a deer. and thats when the mistake occured. seems you are as usual selective in what you report/write I now post the full report and highlight a few lines so as to see WHO is at odds here, note the police nowhere say they regard this as an accident,and are actively considering charges has that bit escaped you unintentionally thanks KW The young man who fatally shot his hunting companion in Wanaka early today will have to live with the fact that he killed his best friend for the rest of his life, police said. Dougal Disstan Stanfield Fyfe, 23, was killed when his friend shot him in the back of the head after mistaking him for a deer. "From that quick error of judgment he now has to live with the fact that he's killed his best mate," Sergeant Aaron Nicholson of Wanaka police said. "Identifying your target beyond reasonable doubt is one of those basic rules ... and if it had been complied with then we could have averted this tragedy. "It's a simple message, it's one that people hear a lot about and we think it won't happen to us - but it does." The group of three friends were looking for rabbits when they came across a deer in the Maungawera Valley at about 2.30am. The men were all from the Maungawera Valley and their families were close friends. The trio spotted a deer and two of them took after it. A 19-year-old man remained in the car, Nicholson said. A 24-year-old man pulled the trigger, believing he was aiming at a deer, but shot his friend instead. "He thought he saw the reflection of the eye of the deer and shot at that ... and ultimately discovered it was his mate," Nicholson said. "He realised straight away that he shot his mate, that he had an injury to his head, wasn't moving or breathing or showing signs of life." The man called the police straight away and had been fully co-operative with police, Nicholson said. Police were not treating the incident as suspicious, but said they were keeping an "open mind". It was too early to comment on whether criminal charges were likely, Nicholson said. An autopsy will be carried out in Dunedin tomorrow and the firearm will be sent to Wellington to be assessed. - © Fairfax NZ News Edited December 20, 2011 by kdubya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted December 20, 2011 Report Share Posted December 20, 2011 Considering the amount of people actually resident in NZ thier shooting accidents are a big issue. I have thier Safety vidio produced by NZ police and deerstalkers association, backstops are never mentioned and many cringeworthy shots are taken in foresty. To be fair thier road deaths are also way larger than you could credit, must be something in the water. Vipa, If the Stalker your talking of and the one i know are the same, he is a total numpty in more regards than that A few years ago in Scotland the Stalker on the next estate was shot in the butt cheek up through the abdomen and chest when he asked a client to "put one under the bolt and be ready" he mistook this to mean infront of the bolt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfection Posted December 20, 2011 Report Share Posted December 20, 2011 different thing altogether accidental discharge I have done it others have done it, to aim and squeeze the trigger on an obviously unidentified target is inexcusable,and if you think shooting someone in the back of the head because he thought it was deer is an accident you have a problem, taking ashot at a target you have NOT 100% identified is non negotiable, so he should not have taken the shot simple as, it's not an accident that's an unintentional act, pulling the trigger is intentional therefore its manslaughter at the very least, sorry if my view does not fit your model but its my view and my entitlement, and I know while out shooting with others which view I would prefare IE safe or sorry? KW I must admit to agreeing with this. What happened wasnt an accident,but a mistake-a tragic one at that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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