A man who shot at a dog being walked in a forestry block near Hokitika told police he thought it was a deer.
Ayrton George John Perry, 22, pleaded guilty in the Greymouth District Court this week to a charge of recklessly discharging a firearm.
He also admitted being unlawfully in possession of a 0.223-type rifle and ammunition.
Perry had been out hunting with his girlfriend in a forestry block in Sandstone Rd, Ruatapu, about 9.30pm on November 16, a police summary said.
Neither held a firearms licence and neither had permission from the Ngāi Tahu forestry landowners to be there.
Perry discharged the rifle at what he believed to be a wild animal. A man out walking his dog in the vicinity heard a rifle shot, before hearing a thud in the ground just to the right of him — which was the bullet hitting the ground.
He yelled out: "What the hell are you doing? Get over here!"
Perry approached the man, who asked: "Why did you shoot at me?"
Perry said he had seen his dog’s eyes and thought it was a deer.
He added he could not see clearly through his scope and apologised.
More than a week later, on December 7, police executed a search warrant at Perry’s Hokitika address and found nine rounds of 0.223 calibre ammunition in a cupboard in his bedroom.
The ammunition was insecure, in a plastic container.
Perry was interviewed and admitted not having a firearms licence, or permit to be hunting on Ngāi Tahu forestry land. He also admitted to discharging a firearm at what he thought was a deer, but mentioned that he was not able to see through his scope.
Judge Tom Gilbert convicted Perry on all charges and remanded him until May 15 for sentencing.
He also made a referral to restorative justice. — Allied Media
