Top End stockwhip maker Michael Denigan has been found not guilty of unlawfully causing serious harm after shooting a man in the upper leg on his Darwin River property.

Key points: Mick Denigan said he felt "pretty good" about the result and the end of the trial

Mick Denigan said he felt "pretty good" about the result and the end of the trial Defence argued Mr Denigan shot the trespasser on his property in self-defence

Defence argued Mr Denigan shot the trespasser on his property in self-defence Lawyer said the jury members were testament to the "decency" of NT community

The jury took less than an hour to reach a verdict on Thursday.

Outside court Mr Denigan said he felt "pretty good" about the result and the end of the trial.

"[The court process] has gotta be done, [it's a] serious matter, so address it and tell the truth and you're halfway there," he said.

"It's life, you just plod along."

As a token of his appreciation Mr Denigan gifted a leather whip to his defence lawyer Jon Tippett QC.

John Tippet holding the whip given to him by Mr Denigan. ( ABC News: Emilie Gramenz )

Mr Tippet said the jury had reached the right verdict.

And he said the jury members were a testament to the "decency" of the Northern Territory community.

"I think that they realised that Mr Denigan had been placed in a very difficult position and they understood it," he said.

Self-defence argument prevails

Mr Denigan argued that he had acted in self-defence when he shot a man on his property in the Darwin rural area in February 2017.

The court had heard that Thomas MacIntyre had driven to Mr Denigan's property around midnight, along with two other men, and arrived holding an axe in one hand and a can of beer in the other.

Mr MacIntyre told the court he had wanted to have a "quiet word" with Mr Denigan about his relationship with a 19-year-old woman, who was the sister of one of the men.

Once he entered the property Mr MacIntyre was shot by Mr Denigan in the right leg using a double-barrelled shotgun.

Mr Denigan threatened him with a second shot and told him he had five seconds to get off the property.

In summing up, Acting Justice Anthony Graham told the jury it was clear from the evidence that earlier that day "there had been some argy-bargy" between Mr Denigan and the woman over money.

Justice Graham also commented on Mr Tippett's final arguments on Wednesday, in which he brandished the weapon as a prop.

"When Mr Tippett was prancing around yesterday [with the axe], that was argument, not evidence," he said.

He said the prop had at times meant he "had concerns for the bar table".

Asked what he planned to do now that the trial was over, Mr Denigan said he had more whips to make.