Man who drowned in Stockton Lake was a major bowfishing proponent
Bowfishing wasn't the most important thing to Travis McCann — his family, faith, and Miller-area farm held that distinction — but it was up there.
The 52-year-old was a titan in the region's bowfishing community, where he had earned a reputation as an advocate of the sport. When he wasn't traveling to competitive tournaments or spreading his wealth of knowledge, he helped fight against proposed regulations that he believed would diminish the experience.
McCann would donate his boat, equipment, and wisdom each year in an effort to get local military veterans out to the water for a fun and soothing Salute to Veterans Bowfishing Tournament in Warsaw.
News of McCann's death on Saturday left many of his fishing friends' acquaintances heartbroken.
McCann fell overboard from his boat late Friday night, according to Missouri State High Patrol, while bowfishing with two friends on Stockton Lake. He never resurfaced and a MSHP dive team found McCann's body early Saturday morning.
Pete Gregoire, President of the Bowfishing Association of America, told the News-Leader that he will truly be missed by the bowfishing community he helped grow.
"Travis loved the sport of bowfishing and he was willing to share this passion with anyone who was interested," Gregoire said. "He helped to promote and protect the sport and he loved to travel to other states for new opportunities. He was competitive when taking part in tournaments, but he was always willing to share information when he had some."
Dozens of fishermen have shared their condolences and stories on social media of McCann since his recent passing. On an outdoors website's message board in which he was an active member, the thread "RIP Mtnman" paid homage to the Ozarks man and his online pseudonym.
"Rest in peace brother, I am sure you will be wheeling the trails and scoping out the best fishing spots!" a fellow member posted in the growing thread.
Kirk Ryan, who runs the Salute to Veterans Bowfishing Tournament, became first acquainted with McCann through fishing before quickly establishing a great friendship.
Ryan echoed the sentiments of several others who said that McCann never met a stranger.
"We are all praying for his family and hope they take solace in seeing how important he was to so many people," Ryan said. "The amount of posts that have flooded social media of stories of Travis from all over the country is staggering. He made a huge impact on our community and this is a huge loss. He was a very experienced captain and it hits home knowing that if it can happen to him, it can happen to any of us. He was a great person and will be missed by all."
Ryan Collingwood covers a wide range of topics for the News-Leader with an emphasis on public safety. He can be reached by phone at 417-258-8174 and email at rcollingwood@newsleader.com. You can also follow Ryan on social media at X.com/rwcollingwood.