Category: Hall of Fame

Lifetime Targets

38050

Wisconsin State Titles

2005 – 12 Gauge

2010 – .410 Bore

2014 – 12 Gauge

2015 – .410 Bore

2016 – 20 Gauge

2018 – 28 Gauge

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Gary Wipperfurth started shooting in 2000 after a long and competitive career in softball. A friend asked if he wanted to shoot one day and he agreed. They went to the Sauk Prairie Trap and Skeet Club to shoot some skeet. Little did he know how addicting this sport was going to be. They proceeded to start shooting and no one was hitting many targets. His friend asked how much lead he was giving the target. His friend then told Gary to double the lead and when he finally hit the target he was hooked. One other thing that his friend told Gary was most skeet targets are missed by two feet. Gary looked at him a little confused and he pointed to his feet and said, “You need to get set up right and the rest will come.”

Gary’s first Wisconsin State Shoot was in 2002 at Sauk Prairie and was able to capture his first Wisconsin State Championship Title in 2005 in Green Bay by shooting a perfect score in the 12 gauge event. He shot his first one hundred straight on August 7, 2005 at Waukesha Gun Club at the Myers Breath of Life Shoot.

Gary was elected to the Sauk Prairie Trap & Skeet board in 2006 and 2 years later was elected President of the Board. In 201.0 Gary was elected as the Treasure of the Board still holds that position. Most of his time is spent behind the scenes doing paperwork and helping with the Registered Skeet shoots, but he still enjoys shooting.

Gary has shot 100’s in every gauge except the 410. He is still chasing that elusive 100 in the 410 and is still working towards crushing the little gun 100.

Skeet shooting has given Gary many friends and he cherishes each and every one of them.

Wisconsin All State Teams

Junior – 1996, 1997

2nd Team – 1998 (Captain), 1999 (Captain)

1st Team – 2000, 2001, 2002 (Captain), 2004, (Captain), 2007

Wisconsin State Titles

12 Gauge (2 times) – 2001, 2003

20 Gauge – 2007 (Runner Up)

28 Gauge – 1998, 1999 (Runner Up)

.410 Bore – 2010 (Runner Up)

Doubles – 2004

HOA – 2001 (Runner Up), 2003 (Runner Up)

HAA – 2001 (Runner Up)

Zone 5 Titles

12 Gauge (2 times) – 2000, 2001

World Titles

1996 HOA Junior 3rd

2001 Collegiate 12 Gauge Champ

2001 Collegiate Doubles Champ

Notable Accomplishments

1997 US Open AA1 and Junior Champ

1998 3I .410 Runner UP

1999 Briley Blue Goose AAA1 12 Gauge

2003 3I HOA Runner Up (398 x 400)

2004 3I 12 Gauge Runner Up

2006 3I 20 Gauge Champion and Doubles Runner Up

2001 – 0.9960 12 Gauge Average

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Jeremy Ehrgott began his registered skeet career in 1994 at the age of 14.  He was taught to shoot by his father Bob and his fellow hall of famer member Stew Rempert. Jeremy continued to compete from 1994 to 2001.  He took 2002 off and re-entered the game in 2003. He continued shooting until 2008 and shot his last registered shoot in 2010. 

Jeremy was one of the most talented Junior and Collegiate shooters routinely competing against and beating shooters with many more years of experience than himself.  He won his first state championship in 1998 by winning the 28 Gauge Event and was runner up in the same event the following yeas as a Junior shooter. In 1996 he competed in the World Championships and took home HOA 3^rd honors. 

As a Collegiate in 2001 he took home the 12 Gauge and Doubles Championships.  2001 was a particularly good year for Jeremy as he took home the 12 Gauge and HAA State Championships, was runner up in HOA and won the 12 Gauge Zone 5 Championships.  In addition, he posted high averages in the 12 gauge at 0.9960 and Doubles at 0.9913 which was the 3^rd highest average in the country that year.

Jeremy now has a family, his wife Melanie and their three children.  He is foreman with Staff Electric Company.

World Titles

1995 Junior 20 Gauge Champion

1995 Junior Champion of Champions

1997 Collegiate HOA Champion (399 x 400)

1998 Collegiate Doubles Champion

Wisconsin State Titles

20 gauge (1 times) – 2001

410 bore (2 times) – 1995, 1996

Doubles (3 times) – 1995, 1997, 1999

HOA (2 times) – 1995, 1996

HAA (2 times) – 1995, 1997

Major Accomplishments

400×400 – May 24-25, 1997 Hawk Open, Waukesha Gun Club

400×400 – August 1-2, 1998 Jeff Myers Memorial, Waukesha Gun Club

500×500 – May 24-25, 1997 Hawk Open, Waukesha Gun Club

NSSA All-American Teams

1994 Junior Honorable Mention

1995-Junior First Team

1996 Junior First Team (Co-Captain)

1997 Collegiate Second Team

1998 Collegiate First Team

1999 Collegiate First Team

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Kody Kuehnl, of Manitowoc, WI began his registered skeet shooting career in 1991 at age 13 and shot during what some might consider the “Golden Age” of skeet shooting in Wisconsin. His desire and passion for shooting came from his father, David (1940-2009), who was an avid outdoorsman and registered target shooter in trap, and later, skeet. In fact, David missed Kody’s birth as he was competing at the Wisconsin State Trap Shoot that week. The cliché, “the apple doesn’t fall from the tree” certainly holds true for Kody.

Kody’s eleven years shooting registered skeet in Wisconsin, although brief, were very productive and are marked with stats most any skeet shooter would be proud of, this despite competing as a junior or collegiate for most of this time. One might think that his first Wisconsin state shooting title would have come in skeet, however, it actually came during the 1994 Wisconsin State Trap Shoot, at the age of 16, where he captured the 1994 Handicap Championship besting over 700 shooters including 7 in a shoot-off (he was the only one to run the box). However, ten state skeet shooting championships were soon to follow, with perhaps the most impressive being a 1995 HOA championship (where Kody broke 399×400) and a 1995 HAA championship (498×500). In addition to these achievements, during this time Kody was a regular member of the All-State Team (7 times), including captain four times and was also a member of the All Zone team (Captain twice), and NSSA All American Junior and Collegiate Teams (6 times).

One of Kody’s greatest strengths in shooting was his consistency. Of the 40,950 registered targets he accumulated while in WI, Kody broke 90 one-hundred straights (22%, 8.2 per year). His most productive year came in 1997 when he broke 25 perfect scores (45.5 % for that year) and finished with career high averages in 12 gauge (99.50), 20 gauge (99.45), 410 bore (97.70), Doubles (97.66), High Overall (98.87), and High All Around (98.63). His HOA average ranked 17th in the world that year. His high average in the 28 gauge (99.27) came one year later. Also in 1997, Kody won the Collegiate World HOA Championship with a 399×400 (tied for the highest score ever shot at the Junior World), the State Doubles and HAA titles (497×500), and, perhaps most impressive, shot a perfect shoot breaking a 500×500 at the Hawk Open and winning all seven gun events. At the time, Kody was the youngest individual ever to shoot a 500×500.

Kody’s skeet shooting career as a Wisconsin resident concluded in 2001 at the Wisconsin State Shoot where he captured the 20 gauge championship. At that time, his priorities changed and he went on to further his academic career, which culminated in an M.S. degree from Brigham Young University, and a Ph.D. in Evolutionary Biology from The Ohio State University. He currently resides in Hilliard, OH with his wife Amy and their five children and works as a professor at a small university in downtown Columbus, OH.

In total, Kody won gun championships at nearly every major shoot held in Wisconsin (and at many major out of state shoots as well) during the period 1994-2001 (e.g., Dragon Lady, Jeff Myers Memorial, Celebre Fly-In, Hawk Open, Bald Eagle) and also has well over 100 junior and collegiate gun championships from a number of major shoots including the Kentucky Bluegrass, NorthStar, Three-I, US Open, Zone 5 Championships, Anniversary Chicago Nationals, and many more.

In reflection and gratitude of this time, Kody would like to recognize his late father, David, who provided the opportunity and the means to enjoy this wonderful sport, and also the Robert E. Ehrgott family, his “adopted skeet family”, for their friendship and for sharing their skeet shooting adventures with him during this very special period of his life.

Wisconsin State Titles

12 Gauge (1 time) – 1998

20 Gauge (2 times) – 2000, 2014

28 Gauge (1 time) – 1999

HOA (1 time) – 2000

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Back in the 90s when Phil finished college and completed getting his aviation ratings, he decided to purchase a gun and get back into clay target shooting. When he was around 19, Phil purchased a Citori and dabbled in 16-yard trap merely shooting leagues at a local club. This club also had two skeet fields, which always intrigued him. On a few occasions, he gave it a try. He enjoyed the challenge and had a good time even though his scores weren’t all that impressive.

Once he had some cash in hand again, Phil decided to buy a target gun, but this time it would be for skeet–a Browning Citori. A short time after seeing a tube set, he had one ordered. He shot at the two local clubs in Sheboygan. Although he changed guns once for longer barrels (28 to 32 inch), a Browning was the gun of choice during most of his skeet shooting years.

He recalls practicing every change he had on weekends, as he started shooting registered targets soon after his tube set was returned. Phil shot a lot, to the tun of 2 or 3 rounds per day on Saturday and Sunday, and even took a 4-hour lesson with Wayne Mayes. Then he met Mike Schmidt at shoot in Vegas, as traveling to tournaments was the thing to do. He said to him, “I want to take a lesson from you.” Mike responded, “Sure, but not until the shooting season ends; call me after the World Shoot.” Phil gave him a day or two to get home and then called. Mike had not forgotten. “Come on up,” Mike said, “and stay the weekend at my place, and it won’t cost you a dime other than your rounds you shoot” ($1 a round). Mike said they could shoot four hours each day at Wayzeta Country Club, so Phil asked how many shells he should bring. Mike’s responded, “A thousand should work, but if we run out, I have plenty!” Phil remembers they shot 1500 that weekend.

That training weekend led to a long, ongoing friendship, which included being a squad-mate with Mike and many others over the years. Practicing a 1000+ targets per weekend became the norm for Phil and many of his fellow shooters in the area such as Peppy, Petie, and Decker to name a few. Mike’s guidance and Phil’s practice with his skeet friends enabled him to reach AAA in all guns in a limited amount of time and the following championships:
1) State 12 gauge
2) Kachina HOA RU (100 straight in .410)
3) State HOA CH (398) plus two other state titles
Phil has been on several All-State First Teams, including serving as captain. He has also been on the All-Zone Team and the 2009 All-American Team.

Phil has many fond memories from the past days of shooting with everyone: painting barrels white for night shoot-offs, mounting a broom like a gun at Becky’s trailer in San Antonio to discuss hold point and starting techniques, and a flooded truck and trailer at the Blue Grass followed by a tornado that wiped out the skeet fields shortly after pulling out to head home. His favorite local club is Brown County, hands down, and his favorite shoot is the North Star as he shot well there with back-to-back HOA wins.

Because his job as a machinist slowed to the point of getting laid-off so did the skeet shooting fund, which forced him to go back to flying. As a junior pilot, Phil worked weekends, which obviously didn’t line up very well with shooting tournaments and forced him to back away from the game quickly.

Phil’s wife can attest to the fact that he spent a lot of money shooting skeet tournaments and practicing, as many others have. But if given the opportunity to spin back time to get that cash back, he said he wouldn’t, because the trade-off isn’t there. Skeet shooting was worth every cent, because of the friends he met. Now an induction into the Wisconsin State Skeet Shooting Hall of Fame is just icing on the cake.

Wisconsin State Titles

20 Gauge (1 times) – 2006

28 Gauge (3 times) – 2003, 2008, 2012

Doubles (2 times) – 2008, 2013

HOA (1 times) – 2010

Zone Titles

20 Gauge – 2000

28 Gauge – 2009, 2010

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Before skeet, bowling was his game. At one time Jim bowled seven leagues a week, but a Brown County club member (“Tiny”) talked him into trying a “man’s game.” After one session he was hooked and bought a Remington 1100, but picking up the empties was not to his liking. A Browning 12 gauge served him for two years, but soon he had the urge to get a tube set and bought a Beretta from Faskell’s gun shop. Thus began a great skeet shooting career.

Jim won many events over the past decade not only in Wisconsin but also on the road competing against the best. For example, he broke a 398 at Detroit’s Motor State and repeated this score at the Mini World in 2002 and then added a 546 in the main event. At the World Shoot in 2005 and 2006 he broke hundreds in doubles both years to win back to back AA-1. Shooting with the best must have helped build consistent scores because between 2001 and 2010 he broke 390 or better fifty-eight times in the HOA event. In 2004 he had a string of eleven consecutive shoots at which he broke 390 or better in the HOA event.

Over the years Jim racked up eight Wisconsin and Zone 5 championships including the State 28 Gauge twice and the Zone 28 gauge twice. His registered target total has now passed the 50,000 mark and counting. Jim received Wisconsin All State First Team honors on numerous occasions and was awarded Captain twice. For all his glittering records, Jim has occasionally been bitten by the skeet demons. Recently at the 3-I shoot in Peoria an eye dominance problem developed. He broke an 82 in the twelve gauge event. In desperation he went to a local chiropractor who performed an “adjustment” to his sternum. Of course, this produced no improvement in his shooting. But Jim persevered, made some of his own “adjustments” and is again breaking hundreds and winning gun titles.

Jim’s skeet shooting prowess is apparent from the records, but he also deserves recognition as a major promoter of the sport. For many years he has hosted the Dragon Lady, the premier added money shoot in the state. He also has served as president of the Brown County Sportsmen’s Club and he and Judy have served on the Wisconsin Skeet Shooting Association’s Board of Directors for a number of years.

A good shooter and a good citizen of the sport make Jim Decker a highly deserving member of the WSSA Hall of Fame.

Wisconsin State Titles

12 Gauge (2 times) – 1999, 2000

20 Gauge (2 times) – 1990, 1992

28 Gauge (1 times) – 2000

Doubles (1 times) – 1991

HOA (1 times) – 2000

HAA (2 times) – 1998, 2002

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Stew comes from a shooting family and he began pulling the trigger at such age that his dad, Cal, had to kneel and rest the gun, a twelve gauge with a .410 insert, over his shoulder. Like many beginners, he started with trap as his clay target sport. In 1984 he began shooting ATA targets and quickly became one of the better shooters in the state. In 1989 he was named to the Wisconsin All State Trap team with averages of 98.08 in singles, 91.31 in handicap, and 94.09 in doubles. About the same time he discovered the skeet game and made the switch. During his first years in skeet he was influenced by Jim Dawson, John Celebre (both Hall of Fame members) and Mike Schmidt, Jr.

Skeet proved to be Stew’s game and he became one of the state’s best. During his career between 1989 and his much too early retirement in 2002, during this period Stew amassed over 72,000 registered targets. Stew was named first team All-State nine times, and captain once. While active on the registered shooting circuit, he won nine state gun titles including one HOA and two HAA championships. In 2001 his four gun HOA average was .9849 which ranked him among the nation’s top shooters. He is one of only three men in the history of Wisconsin clay target shooting to make first team All-State in both trap and skeet. Special skills and dedication are evident in this very unusual accomplishment.

Stew was able to travel to some of the larger shoots outside of the state where he competed with the best. His championships include the doubles event at the U.S. Open in 1991 (outlasting Wayne Mayes in a shoot-off). At the World in in1992 at Savannah, he won Class AA in the .410, and in 1993 at the World in San Antonio he broke an amazing 648 out of 650 targets to take third place in the High All Around event.

Now living in Kewaskum with his wife Cheryl, he pursues his trade as a welder. His shooting is more recreational these days confined mainly to a local trap league.

Wisconsin State Titles

12 Gauge (1 times) – 2004

20 Gauge (3 times) – 1999, 2008, 2009

28 Gauge (1 times) – 2004

.410 Bore (1 times) – 2009

HOA (4 times) – 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009

HAA (5 times) – 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009

Zone Titles

12 Gauge – 2008

28 Gauge – 1995

.410 Bore – 2008

Doubles – 2004, 2008

HOA – 2008

HAA – 2008

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Blake began shooting targets in the summer of 1989 when a friend from work invited him to the Brown County Sportsmen’s Club. A serious bird hunter, Blake wanted to improve his hunting marksmanship and he shot both trap and skeet for a while. He liked the fact that he could burn up a lot of ammo but not have to clean any birds at the end of the day. By 1992 skeet was his favorite game, and he was good enough to start shooting competitively. Over the years he kept his dad’s advice in mind: “Don’t be afraid to win.” In shooting more than 55,000 registered targets, Blake has stored away a lot of great memories: nice people he met along the way and the many wins he posted.

Blake’s success as a competitor began to blossom in 1995 when he started traveling to some of the larger shoots. He teamed with Orrin Piepenburg and Dave Hovarter (both Hall of Fame members), and he gives them credit for finding the right moments to coach him and those times to leave him alone even though he might be struggling. Over the past fifteen years, Blake has amassed more than fifty 100 straights. His best year for average was in 2005 when his HOA was 97.92. Blake made first team All-State four times and the second team four times. His impressive list of wins includes eight state titles with five of them either HOA or HAA. His seven Zone 5 titles include five during the most recent 2008 shoot. He enters the Hall of Fame at the top of his game.

Blake lives in Green Bay with his wife Kris and their daughter Abby. His business as an industrial painting contractor keeps him busy. Despite his many obligations, he finds time to hunt birds with his two English setters, Jenna and Casey.

Wisconsin State Titles

12 Gauge (1 time) – 2006

20 Gauge (1 time) – 1993

Doubles (2 times) – 2000, 2001

HOA (1 time) – 1998

Zone Titles

20 Gauge – 2001

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Dave began shooting registered skeet in 1988 after taking the Hunter’s safety course with his son, Mike. His first shot was fired at the old Faskell’s gun club. Initially he shot both trap and skeet but found the camaraderie of the skeet circuit more to his liking. Over the years he developed close and valued friendships with a number of the shooters, and he holds fond memories of several who have passed on, including Bernie Faskell, Bud Wittich, and Mike O’Shefsky. 

At the height of his shooting career, Dave registered about 8000 targets per year. He continues to shoot his trusty Beretta 682 that he purchased in 1991. The gun has been good to him, having broken many good scores. As of July 1, 2007, he had broken 86 one hundred straights. over the years he made the All-State Second Team seven times and All-State First Team three times. He won five State Championship gun titles and two Zone 5 gun titles. 

The peak of his career was 2001, when he won the following championships: 

        1) Zone 5 20 gauge

        2) State Doubles

        3) Sauk Prairie Bald Eaglet HOA (399)

        4) Jeff Myers HAA (498)

That year he maintained AAA averages in all guns.  Dave and Becky have been contributors to the skeet game for many years. She performs the essential management tasks behind the desk, while he can be found on the field in his role as “skeet Nazi” hustling squads and adjusting machines. In 2000 Dave and Becky were both recipients of the Bill Spear Service Award, and Dave currently serves on the WSSA Board of Directors. Dave cut a unique figure on the skeet field, and he will always be remembered for his fast pace as squad leader and the ever-present cigar while shooting.

Wisconsin State Titles

28 Gauge (1 times) – 1994

.410 bore (1 times) – 1992

Doubles (1 times) – 1989

HAA (1 times) – 1989

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Jim began honing his skills in the mid 40’s.  His mentor Vic Reinders was his chief instructor.  He began his career as a trap shooter at the tender age of 15.  He promptly went down to Vandalia Ohio to the Grand American trap shoot and tied for the Grand American Handicap Championship.  He then left shooting to further his academic pursuits.  He finished college and went on to medical school. With a family and career well underway he then decided to get back into shooting.  In 1983 he joined the NSSA.  With his mentor Vic he proceeded to begin his skeet career.  Along the way his other mentor Ed Scherer joined the team.  It didn’t take Doc long to start his winning ways.  By 1990 he had already won numerous titles along with his first state title in doubles.  In the early 90’s Doc hooked up with Mike Schmidt from Minnesota and toured with Mike for the next 10 years.  While with Mike he won several more state titles.  Doc’s biggest influences in skeet have been fellow hall of fame members Vic Reinders and Ed Scherer.  In 1989 Doc shot 2000 registered 410 targets while maintaining a 97 average.  During his illustrious career Doc has amassed over 125,000 registered targets.

Wisconsin State Titles

28 Gauge (2 times) – 2001, 2007

.410 Bore (1 time) – 2001

Zone Titles

12 Gauge – 1997

Doubles – 2000 

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With the hope of improving his field shooting skills, Gary joined Middleton Sportsmen’s Club around 1970.  Initially trap was the game, but he soon saw that the guys on the skeet field were having more fun.  He bought a skeet barrel for his 87- trap gun and joined in.  In those days at Middleton, instruction in how to shoot skeet wasn’t available.  Shooters just copied someone who seemed to break quite a few targets and, of course they acquired some bad habits along the way—such as shooting heavy loads through the 870.  Eventually the recoil took its toll on Gary and he eventually developed the dread “flinch.”

In 1979 he registered his first NSSA targets and during the early ‘80s he mainly shot the 12 and 20 gauge events.  It wasn’t until about ’85 that he began to take the game seriously, but flinching kept him from shooting those elusive hundred straights.  In 1992 he went to the World at Savannah and among the scores he posted were three ninety-nines—each miss the result of a flinch.  That winter he began shooting a “release” trigger and has used one ever since.

Gary made the All-State second team three times in the early nineties, but then work got in the way and his shooting schedule was light for several years until he retired from UW-Madison in ’97.  With retirement he had time to practice and take in more shoots.  It was in the fall of ’97 that “coach” Bruce Ramos convinced him to register another hundred twelve-gauge targets so that he would be eligible for the NSSA All American Senior team, and he was subsequently names to the Honorable Mention squad.  In following years he was named second team All American twice and first team once.  Over a seven-year span beginning in ’98, he made first team once.  Over a seven-year span beginning in ’98, he made first team All-State five times.  During this stretch he managed some major wins: two Zone 5 gun titles, two State Championships, and two wins against some of the country’s top competitors at the Kachina Open in Phoenix.  For one of the latter he squared off against a long line of shooters that included Todd Bender, Robert Paxton, and Mike Schmidt.

Gary’s skeet career doesn’t stop here.  Gary spent several years on the board of Sauk Prairie Gun Clun running their skeet leagues as well as their registered programs.  He also spent several years as the Vice President of the Wisconsin Skeet Shooting Association.  His dedication to promoting as well as shooting skeet makes Gary a welcome addition to our Hall of Fame.