Jim Johnson was born January 2, 1936, grew up near Navarino, WI and attended Bonduel High School where he excelled in football, basketball and track. He received a football scholarship to UW-EauClaire and played one season when he decided to go back home to work and marry his high school sweetheart, Joanne Horvath. Jim & Joanne wed on June 11, 1955. They have 4 children; Mike (1957), Diane (1959) who now works with Jim at J&H, Gail (1960), and Jayne (1961). Jim & Joanne farmed near Navarino until 1970 when they moved to, what is now, J&H Game Farm.
In 1964, Jim, his brother Donald, and Joanne’s brother Bill Horvath sat down and discussed the future of hunting in Wisconsin. J&H was born at a kitchen table as a pheasant club. The name; J (Johnson) & H (Horvath) opened with a single pheasant member in 1969. In 1990 Jim was approached about starting a sporting clay course. Even though very skeptical that this would be a profitable business, Jim had a man from Missouri, John Ruckavina, come and set our 1st course. September of 1990 J&H opened their 1st course with 10 manual traps. J&H now have 11 courses and average over a million targets thrown each year. Jim & his family have worked very hard over the past 50 years to make J&H a successful “family atmosphere” business.
Over the years, Jim helped to promote sporting clays by hosting several major events and fundraisers. He started a youth & lady program that started in 1994 with 185 participants and has grown to over 500 in current years. The following is a list of major accomplishments J&H has hosted:
Wis. State Championship in 1993, 1998, 2005 & 2011
Zone 5 Championship in 1995; present North Central Regional 2012
Jeep Charity Championship in 1996
One of the original 4 clubs to host the Wis. Ironman since 1995
J&H also hosts several charity events that Jim has been very supportive. The 2 main events are the CP Benefit for the Green Bay Cerebral Palsy Center; helped raise over $108,000 since 1993, and the Challenge the Outdoors, for the past 17 years.
Jim also help write the Captive Wildlife bill which was a monumental accomplishment for the Wisconsin Game Preserve Association.
Jim has always tried to better relationships within our Association and we are thankful he was able to foresee the success of the WSCA.