Chad Waligura
- Disability: Quadriplegic
- Gender: Male
"The most important part is getting out there."
About
Growing up in a small town on the Texas gulf coast, I fell in love with the outdoors when I was twelve years old, that’s when my dad took me duck hunting the first time, and from that day on, I knew it was something that’d be a part of my life forever.
When I was paralyzed at 17, it was the one thing I knew I could never give up. Three months later, I was back in the woods with dad re-learning how to do the things I loved. It wasn’t easy for me and there were more failures than successes, but just being out there made all the difference in the world.
Eighteen years after later, I was chosen by Buckmasters’ American Deer Foundation as their Challenged Hunter of the Year, and in 2010, Safari Club International named me their Pathfinder Award winner!
I’ve been all over the United States and on three different continents, so far. I started writing in those early years as a way to chronicle some of my trips and provide information for anyone who might be looking to get back into the outdoors the way I did. Along the way I discovered a whole bunch of amazing able sportsmen & women that needed to be put in the spotlight. That’s why Able Outdoors came about.
I’m a hunter and a fisherman. I’m a dog handler and an outdoorsman, and every now and then I get to be a guide. Most recently I started doing distance runs in my chair to further push my limits.
I go out and hunt and fish and travel just like the able-bodies do, and I'm going to show you how we do those things.
As Co-Host of Able outdoors, my primary duty will be to make sure the product we put out will be as informative as it is entertaining. We’ll cover every aspect of able outdoors and show people how we do things.
When I was paralyzed at 17, it was the one thing I knew I could never give up. Three months later, I was back in the woods with dad re-learning how to do the things I loved. It wasn’t easy for me and there were more failures than successes, but just being out there made all the difference in the world.
Eighteen years after later, I was chosen by Buckmasters’ American Deer Foundation as their Challenged Hunter of the Year, and in 2010, Safari Club International named me their Pathfinder Award winner!
I’ve been all over the United States and on three different continents, so far. I started writing in those early years as a way to chronicle some of my trips and provide information for anyone who might be looking to get back into the outdoors the way I did. Along the way I discovered a whole bunch of amazing able sportsmen & women that needed to be put in the spotlight. That’s why Able Outdoors came about.
I’m a hunter and a fisherman. I’m a dog handler and an outdoorsman, and every now and then I get to be a guide. Most recently I started doing distance runs in my chair to further push my limits.
I go out and hunt and fish and travel just like the able-bodies do, and I'm going to show you how we do those things.
As Co-Host of Able outdoors, my primary duty will be to make sure the product we put out will be as informative as it is entertaining. We’ll cover every aspect of able outdoors and show people how we do things.
Credits
NRA Disabled Shooting Sports Committee
Mossy Oak National Pro Staff
Mossy Oak National Pro Staff
Awards
Buckmasters’ American Deer Foundation Challenged Hunter of the Year
Degrees & Certifications
BS in Wildlife & Fisheries Science
Master of Education in Counseling
Master of Education in Counseling
Experience
Sports & Activities
Fitness
Equipment
Videos
Contact
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