We regret to report the passing of shooter and outdoorswoman Joyce S. “Jo†Hanley on February 19. Born in West Chester, Pennsylvania, Jo relocated to Palm Beach in the early 1960s with husband George W. Hepworth. As a young adult, Jo developed a passion for firearms, eventually becoming one of the few female NSCA Level III Certified Instructors, as well as a skeet, trap, and field instructor. Throughout her life, she passionately pursued sport fishing, tennis, hunting, and competitive shooting at the highest level.
Known for her bold, vibrant personality and can-do attitude, Jo left a lasting impression on friends and loved ones alike. She is survived by daughter Jill Hepworth Crompton and long-time companion Peter C. Theron. Jo was preceded in death by George W. Hepworth and William H. Hanley. Plans for a celebration of life will be announced later. Donations can be made in Jo’s honor to Safari Club International Foundation.
NSCA extends its sympathies to Jo’s family and friends.
If you shot clay targets, particularly skeet, at any time in the past at Tri-County Gun Club in Oregon, you probably knew Joe Dunn. If you’re a recent member and you didn’t know Joe, you are currently benefiting from Joe’s influence on shotgunning at TCGC. Joe passed away December 9, 2023. Joe led the Skeet program at Tri-County Gun Club for 35+ years until the pandemic caused him to retire as the club’s Skeet Activity Chair. Over the years, Joe was an avid promoter of local and regional skeet and international skeet shooting by preparing articles for the Oregonian newspaper outlining upcoming events, tournaments results and reporting on individual shooters.
As a competitor, Joe was awarded many individual class awards and father-and-son awards with his standout son, Joe Jr. (“Joey”). Joe volunteered countless hours maintaining our skeet fields and target throwers, and with club governance. Joe represented TCGC as a member of the National Skeet Shooting Association for three decades and was an NSSA Certified Instructor. In July, 2022, Joe Dunn Sr. was inducted into the Oregon Skeet Shooting Association Hall of Fame.
Joe’s legacy was his desire to help many new and experienced shooters develop skills and knowledge of the sport he loved and helped coach women hunters via skeet shooting (NRA program) and coached many youth in refereeing skeet tournaments. We are appreciative to Joe, as his legacy lives on at Tri-County Gun Club.
Photo courtesy of Russell Graves
It is with much sadness that we report the passing of Martin F. “Bubba†Wood on January 5 at the age of 83. The skeet champion, conservationist, wingshooter, and wildlife art curator was a Texas legend whose influence ranged far beyond the state. He was the leader of the renowned Cosmic Cowboys 5-man skeet team in the 1970s. One of his fellow Cosmic Cowboys, Robert Paxton, shared some thoughts on his friend:
Prolific hunter, fisherman, sporting arts dealer, world champion skeet shooter, and conservationist, Bubba Wood was an all-around sportsman.
In 1965, a few years after he began shooting competitive skeet, he had a dream season. He won the HOA at every shoot he attended, except the World Shoot where he was one target behind the HOA Champion. He was HOA High Average Leader that year.
Bubba was a six-time All-American (five Open 1st teams and Co-Captain in 1966). He won three Open World titles – 28-gauge in 1975 and the 12-gauge and Champ of Champs titles in 1976. He was inducted into the NSSA Hall of Fame in 1992.
He served our sport in many ways, including President of TSSA, President of Dallas Gun Club and NSSA Executive Committeeman.
Many would say that one of his greatest accomplishments in skeet was being the leader and driving force of the Cosmic Cowboys 5-man team, recognized by most as the greatest 5-man team in the history of skeet. Many of their world records that they set in the 1970s still hold today.
Others would argue that his work in wildlife conservation should be his legacy. Over the years, Bubba was critical to the success of many nonprofit conservation organizations, and in 2021 was the recipient of the T. Boone Pickens Lifetime Sportsman Award given by the Park Cities Quail Coalition.”
According to the Park Cities Quail Coalition, without Bubba’s early involvement in the organization, it would not exist as it is known today. Bubba involved his friend T. Boone Pickens with the group early on, and both men helped it grow into a successful organization that has contributed millions to conservation.
Bubba was also known as an authority on sporting art, having founded and owned the Collectors Covey wildlife and sporting art gallery for 42 years, giving back $12 million to Texas conservation efforts.
As a prominent conservationist, Bubba Wood was profiled in The Land Report magazine in 2021 in an article titled “A Man For All Seasons.†You can read it here. Park Cities Quail Coalition also created an extraordinary tribute video, which you can view here, when he was awarded the T. Boone Pickens Lifetime Sportsman Award in 2021.
NSSA extends its sympathies to Bubba’s many friends and family.
NSCA regrets to announce the passing of Joseph B. “Joe†Cantey III on January 5. Joe served NSCA as one of its most valued leaders for many years as an officer, Executive Council member, Advisory Council member, national and international shooting champion, and range owner. He was considered by many to be the face of FITASC in the USA, serving as the NSCA FITASC representative and FITASC Vice-President of America. He was inducted into the NSCA Hall of Fame in 2008 for his shooting accomplishments: He was on 18 USA Sporting Clays and FITASC Teams, a member of All-American Teams in 11 consecutive years, and medaled 23 times – including 12 gold medals – in international shooting events. He was a four-time World Champion and two-time National Champion.
Joe spent much of his adult life training race horses at Belmont Park in New York and won the Belmont Stakes in 1980. After retirement, he moved back home to Camden, South Carolina, where he took up sporting clays. “I fell in love with the sport the first time I tried it,†Joe said upon his induction into the NSCA Hall of Fame. In 1995, he opened Hermitage Farm Shooting Sports in Camden.
NSCA extends its sympathies to Joe’s wife Amy Cantey, children J.B. and Ashley, and other family and friends.
We are saddened to report the passing of Don Mainland, the man who established Kolar Arms as one of the leading manufacturers of clay target shotguns since the 1990’s. Mainland acquired the company founded by Larry Kolar in the 1980’s, moving the tube-set business to his machine shop in Wisconsin. After producing trap guns for Remington, Mainland then began production of Kolar-branded shotguns made in the USA. The company is currently in its third generation of Mainland operation, with Don’s son Jeff and grandson Sean now managing the business.
In addition to the Kolar gun business, Don started Letsch Manufacturing, Pioneer Products, and Racine Air. He was known as a true visionary and naturally gifted and driven leader. He had many passions, including clay target shooting, cycling, riding horses, and golf. Don was an accomplished bike racer who raced in Japan’s Kierin circuit in the early 1950’s and held the U.S. coast-to-coast cross-country record, which stood for 11 years. Don was also a proud United States Marine. Above all, Don was known as a loving and proud family man. He was married to Ruth for 71 years, and together they had four children: Michael, Mary, Jeffrey, and Lisa, as well as 12 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren.
Under Don’s leadership, Kolar Arms grew from a personal passion to a leader in the firearms community, synonymous with excellence and commitment to quality — a reflection of Don’s own integrity. His contributions have been recognized by multiple shooting organizations, including being honored by NSSA in 2011, along with Larry Kolar, Claude Purbaugh, and Jess Briley, for revolutionizing the game of skeet with their development and advancement of sub-gauge tubes. He was inducted into the Wisconsin State Trapshooting Association and honored by other professional organizations for his contributions.
As we mourn his absence, we also celebrate his life — a life richly lived and generously shared. A funeral service will be held on November 9 in Racine, Wisconsin. NSSA-NSCA extends it sympathies to the Mainland family, Don’s Kolar Arms family, and his many friends. See Don’s full obituary.
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We regret to report the passing of shooter and outdoorswoman Joyce S. “Jo†Hanley on February 19. Born in West Chester, Pennsylvania, Jo relocated to Palm Beach in the early 1960s with husband George W. Hepworth. As a young adult, Jo developed a passion for firearms, eventually becoming one of the few female NSCA Level III Certified Instructors, as well as a skeet, trap, and field instructor. Throughout her life, she passionately pursued sport fishing, tennis, hunting, and competitive shooting at the highest level.
