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 … [Read more...]
Final Shots: John Martin “Tito” Killian
We are saddened to report that John Martin "Tito" Killian, a member of the famous Cosmic Cowboys 5-man team who competed together in the 1970s, passed away on July 27 of COVID-19. Killian, 64, lived in Devine, Texas. Robert Paxton, another member of the Cosmic Cowboys, called his friend Tito "one of the most underrated shooters in NSSA history." He pointed out that it was "difficult to get noticed when you were shooting on the same squad with one of the most natural and best skeet shooters ever to walk onto a skeet field, Ricky Pope." Paxton cited a couple of examples: In 1977, Tito broke … [Read more...]
