Martin Henderson

Martin was an avid hunter and fisherman as a youngster. And, like many hunters, his first association with clay target shooting was with hand thrown targets. After serving in the U. S. Navy from January 3, 1969 through December 29, 1972, he returned to his hometown and began shooting skeet with his childhood friends at Cantrell's, Skeet and Trap Club in Villanow, Georgia, and at Moccasin Bend Bun Club in Chattanooga, Tennessee. One of his shooting companions, Stuart Looper, got tired of traveling just to shoot, and built a gun club in Dalton, hiring Martin as the club manager. Martin managed the club from 1975 until its closing in 1978. 

Martin shied away from trap during the early part of 1973, but attended the Georgia State Shoot, at Triple H Gun Club, in April, with the Cantrells and Harry Looper. He borrowed a field gun to participate in the singles championship, shooting miserably, but was instantly addicted to trap, dropping skeet almost entirely. 

Martin's first substantial trophy was won at the Knoxville Gun Club, at their Fall Festival, in October, shooting 96/100 in the main handicap, tying for Runner-up, and earning a yardage trophy, and a punch to his ATA card. 

The following April, he tied for the Georgia State Handicap Championship, losing the state award to Ty Atkinson, but winning the Open Champion Trophy over three others. 

The following year, he again tied for the Georgia State Handicap Championship, losing, again, to Elden Gift, and winning a yardage trophy. 

In 1976, Martin tied, for the third straight year, for the Georgia State Handicap Championship, defeating Katherine Whitaker and Ed Bundrick, in shoot-off, to finally win this coveted award. 

Other significant wins include: 

2004 Georgia State Handicap Championship; 

3rd Place 2006 Tennessee State Doubles Championship; 

Class “AA” Champion 2007 Hog Heaven Fall Festival Singles Championship; 

AA Champion 2009 Ga. State Doubles Championship; “State Champion” 

2010 Georgia State Handicap Championship; Runner-up 

2011 Georgia State Singles Championship; Runner-up 

2012 North Carolina State Doubles Championship; Veteran Champion 

2014 Georgia State Singles Championship; Veteran Champion 

2016 Georgia State Singles Championship; Veteran Champion 

2016 Georgia State High All Around Championship; Veteran Champion 

2016 Georgia State High Overall Championship; Veteran Champion 

2003 Southern Zone Doubles Championship; Class “A” Champion 

Martin earned State Team honors in 2005 & 2006. 

Martin Henderson Martin's first 100 straight came in 1997 at Hog Heaven Gun Club, shooting with Al Stockman, Norman Franklin, Jim Mitchell, and Bill Ponder. He has since banked more than twenty more. 

His high Scores to date are 100/100 and 199/200 in Singles, 99/100 in Doubles, and 99/100 in Handicap. 

He earned his way to the 27 yard line, for the initial time in 1978, and River Bend Gun Club. He has accepted yardage reductions at various times, each time earning his way back to the 27 yard line five more times. 

In the mid to late 1970's, he served as Gun Club Representative on the GATA Board of Directors, and in the late 1970's to the mid 1980's he served as alternate delegate on the GATA Board of Directors, a position he retains as of this date. 

Martin served on the GATA Hall of Fame Committee from 1998 through the 2015 Georgia State Shoot. 

At the close of the 2016 target year, shooting targets in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina and Tennessee, Martin has accumulated 88,900 Singles, 81,950 Handicap, and 64,600 Doubles Targets for a total of 235,400 registered targets.