Hunter killed in Alpine National Park, police investigation under way

The incident in a remote part of the Alpine National Park, at Rose River, took place on Saturday.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said police were still piecing together what took place.

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"Police are investigating following an incident at McCready Track, Rose River on Saturday," she said.

"It's believe a group of people were hunting when one of the hunters sustained a fatal gunshot wound about 9.30am.

"The 37-year-old man from Yarragon died at the scene.

"The group of hunters are currently assisting police with their inquiries.

"The exact circumstances surrounding the incident are unclear and the investigation is ongoing."

It is understood multiple police officers, including local detectives and those from the Victoria Police homicide squad, are investigating the shooting.

It is unclear whether the shooting is being treated as a hunting accident or otherwise.

McCready Track is located 114 kilometres from Wodonga.

The track was only recently reopened after being closed from May to November, 2020, due to damage that had been caused by the Black Summer bushfires.

Parks Victoria maps designate that the hunting of hog, sambar deer, rusa deer, chital deer and fallow deer in the area is permitted.

A licence is required to hunt in Victoria, with an endorsement for deer also required to hunt the animal.

Parks Victoria recently expanded the deer hunting area in the Alpine National Park by 90,000 hectares.

Between July of 2000 August of 2010, the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine found that there had been "12 fatalities involving an unintentional shooting event during a leisure/hunting activity".

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