The weekend visit to their 400ha has left 18 Romney stud rams and in-lamb ewe hoggets dead, possibly worth about $15,000, and another five wounded that may have to be put down.
Mr Dodd expects the death toll to increase.
Mrs Dodd: ''Hopefully, not too much.''
The couple feel ''really gutted'' at the slaughter and left with ''a whole heap of questions'' - how someone could do that, what was the point and others - and no real answers.
Police maintain the sheep, along with 195 on Peter and Janine Stackhouse's farm about 1.5km away over a ridge, appear to have been shot and are trying to identify the type of firearm.
Oamaru Detective Warren Duncan, while not going into specifics, said scene examinations, along with specialist advice from hunters experienced with firearms, a gunsmith and veterinarians, led to the belief a firearm or firearms had been used.
Dogs, composite bows and crossbows had been considered, but rejected.
As in the Stackhouse shootings, there is no physical evidence how an intruder or intruders reached the two isolated areas, well away from roads, about a kilometre apart on the Dodds' farm where the sheep were shot.
Mr Dodd could see no sign of vehicles or footprints.
Using a vehicle would have been all but impossible with the very wet ground in the area at present.
''A phantom,'' Mrs Dodd said.
As on the Stackhouse farm, no tracks, casings or bullets were found, although a scene examination continued until late yesterday.
Other stock would have been passed on the way to those that were shot, both stud flocks.
However, Mr Dodd did not believe they were deliberately targeted.
''It's hard to tell the difference [between stud and normal stock],'' he said.
The Dodd family have farmed the property for 60 years, developing the Romney stud. Mrs and Mrs Dodd have been farming it for about 25 years.
It carries about 3500 stock units including a Dorset Downs sheep stud, commercial sheep, cows and calves.
Mr Dodd did not know how those sheep were identified as targets.
''I suppose, with the internet, anyone can see anything.''
It is believed the stock were shot over two separate nights, the same as on the Stackhouse farm.
Mr Dodd said that while feeding out on Saturday, his daughter noticed something not right in the stud ram mob.
There was nothing untoward with the second mob on Sunday.
But on Monday morning when he went to shift the ewe hoggets, he saw some lying in the gully that did not move, when normally they waited at the top to be shifted.
He knew then what had happened.
The couple do not know what they can do to stop it happening again to them or another farmer, except to be vigilant.
That was also the message from Det Duncan, who said the shootings had devastated the community and stock owners.
''This is not pot shots from a road, not taking stock for food, and has sinister overtones.
''It's very difficult for a rural community, having to balance security against not living in a prison ... lock-down .''
He did not want to see ''farmers with guns'' on patrol, which could ''lead to an absolute disaster.''
Police particularly wanted to hear from anyone who saw any suspicious vehicles or people in the area of Crown Hill, Conlans and Peaks Rds on Sunday night and in the early hours of Monday.
Det Duncan is the only officer on the incidents, which is his sole focus.
''We are a rural station and staff are handling other incidents,'' he said.
However, help would be available if needed.
Advice to community
• Check your stock more regularly than usual.
• If possible, move stock closer to home.
• Keep in close contact with neighbours.
• Look out for each other.
• Watch who is driving around the area.
• Take down details of suspicious vehicles or people.
• Let police know.
Report to. -
• CrimeStoppers: 0800 555-111 or fill in an online form.
• Oamaru Det Warren Duncan (03) 433-1416
