Chad Belding
Pro Staff Hunter
Chad is a lifelong sportsman and outdoors enthusiast whose love of the outdoors was instilled at a very young age by his father, Orville Belding. Orville taught Chad and his brothers, Clint and Clay, how to camp, hunt, fish, trap crawdads and even cut down their own Christmas trees. These activities fostered a deep appreciation for the outdoor lifestyle.
Chad took up predator and waterfowl hunting as he grew older. He became involved in competitive duck and goose calling while attending the University of Nevada in Reno in the late 1990s. There he was also a member of the Division I baseball team and studied business, public speaking, and history. Following graduation from college, Chad co-owned and operated several businesses across Nevada, Colorado, and Washington.
In 2008 Chad founded Banded, a video production and merchandising company specializing in waterfowling gear and turkey hunting products. That same year he originated “The Fowl Life” TV series, the first episode of which aired in 2009. The series was a hit and is now in its twelfth season on The Outdoor Channel.
Chad also has two podcasts. “This Life Ain’t for Everybody” covers a wide assortment of themes and topics related to the outdoors and has been available since 2018. Chad’s “The Fowl Life” podcast debuted in 2019.
Also in 2019, Chad was involved in the founding of Jargon Duck Calls – known for its precise, CNC-turned, hand-tuned duck calls. He is also closely involved with The Provider, a new brand offering workshops on dog training, hunting, shooting and preparing game. And Chad continues to collaborate with Chad Ward from Whiskey Bent BBQ and Chad Mendes of UFC renown on a series of cookbooks.
Chad still works closely with his brothers. Clay is a producer, editor and media personality. Clint is a physical therapist who also works alongside Chad and Clay on their hunting brands. Chad’s daughter, Alyssa, carries on the family heritage with her love of the outdoors and growing skill at duck calling. When he’s not hard at work or spending time with his family, Chad enjoys music, baseball and boating. He’s also works with several charities including Ronald McDonald House, Freedom Hunters, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, Special Ops Excursions, and several others.
Benelli: How long have you been Benelli Pro-staff and what does it mean to you to be associated with Benelli?
Chad: I have been Benelli Pro-staff going on 11 years and Benelli has been the Title Sponsor of Benelli’s The Fowl Life for the same duration. It is and has been an honor to be part of the Benelli Family and we feel blessed to be chosen! We are committed to flying the Benelli flag with ethics and dignity on a daily basis. Benelli is top shelf and the best shotguns on earth. We are so excited to get back in the blind this season!
Benelli: Who was the childhood idol that led you into the hunting or shooting industry?
Chad: I really didn’t have an idol that was in the industry or who led me to it but for sure my father Orville Belding was my idol who got me into hunting.
Benelli: What advice would you give those who want to be professional hunters or shooters?
Chad: Advice I would give those who want to be professional hunters or shooters is to go to school, study hard, get good grades, learn how to communicate, learn how to network, and learn how to negotiate. And then learn how to blow a duck call or rattle up a deer!
Benelli: Coldest / most miserable place you’ve ever been while hunting? Was it “successful” though?
Chad: The coldest most miserable place I have ever been hunting was Pierre, South Dakota in January and it was 42 degrees below freezing with the wind chill. We had to sit in our trucks with heaters on after we set the decoy spread and when we saw the first line of geese finally coming to eat at 4:00 o’clock in the afternoon, we jumped out of the truck, ran to the ground blinds, got in with tons of hand warmers and we were finished with. Seven man limit in 25 minutes. When they decided to come to the X, we had them pegged!
- Benelli: Rapid-fire:
- Physical Strength or Mental Strength? Mental
- Time travel: into the past or into the future? Into the past. Born 50 years to late
- Cannonball into a pool or dip toe in first? Cannonball into the pool always
- Sleep in or Nap? Sleep in
- Chuck Norris or Bruce Lee? Bruce Lee
- Pineapple Pizza or Candy Corn? Candy Corn
- Ketchup or Ranch? Ketchup
- Funny story or one-liner? Funny Story
- Air guitar or air drums? Air guitar
- Apple or Android? Apple
- Loud neighbors or Nosey neighbors? Loud neighbors
- Beer or Bourbon? Tennessee Whiskey Jack Daniel’s
