Kelvin Tennant, 72, managed to survive being shot in the head and chest multiple times on the Myrtleford-Everton rail trail on Saturday. 

His son, Nick, said he was in high spirits in The Alfred Hospital.

“He’s good,” Mr Tennant said. “He’s just had his eye tested, it all seems to be going well.

“He’s still got to go in and get some shrapnel out of his eyes and there’s also some in his stomach that has to come out.”

Kelvin is still at a loss as to why he was shot.

His son said one theory was that he had accidentally witnessed something he shouldn’t have. 

“He might have been in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Nick said. 

“Maybe he saw something in a car that he shouldn’t have and that’s all it took. 

“I’m just guessing, but you would think there would have to be some reason for someone to do something this extreme.” 

Despite being in good spirits, the family fears the enormity of what occurred will hit him in coming days or weeks. 

They hope he will be released from hospital within a week. 

Armed Crime Squad Detective Senior Constable Elise Douglas said the 72-year-old had told police a grey sedan was parked off the road near the rail trail.

"Just after he's passed Burgoigee Creek, he's observed a vehicle and as he's come closer to that vehicle along the rail trail, he’s received some gunshot wounds,” she said.

"At this stage, all we can say is it's a dark-coloured sedan and we'd been appealing for witnesses, particularly cyclists that were on the trail trail who have seen the victim on his motorised scooter or that may have seen a dark-coloured sedan."

Detective Senior Constable Elise Douglas said it appeared to be an unprovoked attack but assured residents they were safe.

"He doesn't appear to have any connections to the Myrtleford and Everton areas and that's what makes us believe it is unprovoked," she said.

"I and the local police want to reassure the public that there is no danger; the police are doing everything they can to investigate this and bring this to a swift resolution.”