Harsher penalties for hunters who kill people by mistake will make no difference to the number of New Zealanders killed in such accidents, a Dunedin hunter says.
The experienced hunter, who chose to remain anonymous, was commenting on a coroner's recommendations yesterday in relation to the death of Lower Hutt school teacher Rosemary Ives (25), caused by a hunter in 2010.
Rotorua coroner Wallace Bain said the Government should "urgently investigate" rules and regulations as well as increase penalties in respect of hunting deaths.
"Whether in order to emphasise the extreme seriousness of hunters shooting dead other human beings because their targets have not been properly identified, the time has come that the more appropriate charge should be manslaughter," Dr Bain said.
The Dunedin hunter said existing regulations were adequate but could be tightened to mirror those in Australia.
"It's a lot tighter over there than it is here. You're not allowed silencers in Australia for example. If [reviewing regulations] is going to save someone's life, then I'm all for it," the anonymous hunter said.
But harsher penalties would not have the desired effect, as such deaths occurred by accident and hunters were not likely to think of being charged while shooting game, he said.
"Shootings are going to happen whether there are harsher penalties or not. They're not intentional," the hunter said.
Dr Bain's recommendations were in relation to the death of Ms Ives, who was fatally shot by Andrew Mears while camping in the Kaimanawa Forest Park, near Turangi.
Mears (27) was spotlighting and mistook Ms Ives' headlamp for a deer's eyes. He was jailed for manslaughter and released this year, after serving 11 months.
At a coronial hearing in March, Ms Ives' mother Margaret McFarlane and Ms Ives' brother Tom said the tragedy highlighted the need for a crackdown on illegal spotlighting.
Dr Bain also recommended greater education for hunters, including their obligations under the arms code, general firearms safety and hunter training.
Special emphasis should be placed on identifying targets and the risks of snap shooting, buck fever and the use of high-powered telescopic sights, he said. - Additional reporting The New Zealand Herald
