A West Coast farmer is calling on others in the region to be on guard following an apparently botched poaching incident.
Federated Farmers rural security spokesperson Katie Milne says a calf on her farm was shot in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
She says the calf was probably mistaken for a deer, but she is worried someone will be killed after several other similar incidents in the area.
The calf, which had to be put down, was shot from a vehicle, less than 60 metres from a public road.
Ms Milne says her paddock has a sign which clearly states shooting is not allowed and she wants farmers to be on the lookout for suspicious behaviour.
She says the police are investigating the shooting, but without a positive lead, the poachers may never be caught.
