A man who was shot in the head while trying to round up escaped water buffalo remains in a critical condition in Auckland Hospital.
Four men were hunting the animals after they escaped on Tuesday night near Pukekohe.
Police initially thought a bullet ricocheted off a tree, through the roof of a ute in which the 60-year-old man was a passenger.
However, they now believe one of the men, who was using the roof of the vehicle as a platform to shoot from, may have fired into the vehicle.
A decision will be made in the next few days whether to bring charges.