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The Rancher's Bobcat Story
From time to time, I get to shoot a fun assignment.
Last year, it happened twice.
The first was the job involving the Golden Gate Bridge. You can read about that one by clicking on the red letters:
San Fran
The second was much closer to home, a hundred miles south of San Antonio in what we call the brush country.
The ranchers there work in vegetation so onerous their forefathers invented chaps. They say, "everything in the brush country will either bite, stick you or sting you".
My experience as a bowhunter and oil field photographer in the Eagle Ford certainly causes me to agree with that assessment.
When the good folks at Bobcat explained the job, I got excited. I enjoy being around big critters like buffalo and longhorns. It's probably in my blood.
Apparently, a rancher near Jourdanton had purchased one of their utility vehicles. This was an opportunity to tell the ranching side of the Toolcat story.
The ranchers, Joe and Pat Natus assured me, Bob Cat's "Toolcat 5600" is the cadillac of off road utility equipment.
Having owned and ridden recreational ATV's, I was curious what it could do in the same "brush country" that had defeated my six wheel Polaris.
Joe and Pat put the Toolcat through everything short of heavy plowing.
Hopefully this picture story gives you a good idea of the Toolcat's capabilities. The dark tinted glass on the air conditioned cab had me calling the machine "The Coolcat".
Now about my hosts/subjects. When I reached the JN Ranch I saw not only one smiling owner but two. Joe and Pat Natus were amazing folks. Warm and friendly, they immediately put me at ease. I knew right away this was going to be a relaxed gig.
It seemed like Joe knew what I was going to ask him before I did.
Here's the deal. When I shoot these product jobs they can be easy or tough. I'm not talking about outside factors such as weather, we can figure that part out. It always depends on the people.
Joe and Pat were great. They got it. They knew what I wanted to accomplish.
They loved their Toolcat and offered as many ideas as attachments and uses.
What's more they both knew how to use the equipment.
We shot one attachment after another. I would be working to get the right shot and Joe would be thinking about the next attachment and what we could do with it.
They were more like partners than customers.
Joe's background is in ranching and construction. I decided he missed his calling by not being some sort of marketing guru.
As for the Toolcat ? It did not dissappoint. Joe Natus says it can do anything a small tractor can do, only better. After getting to know Joe, I would say that is a hell of a recommendation. This is a guy who's spent a lifetime ranching and running construction businesses. If anybody knows equipment it's Joe.
When you look at these pictures there are some things you won't see. Mainly the love these two people have for each other, their families, their land and their cattle. The ranch we were shooting on had been in Joe's family for generations. The longhorns are Pat's pets.
Joe and Pat are now in their retirement years. They split time between their home in Kerrville and this south Texas ranch. It looked to me as if they have a good time no matter where they are or what they're doing.
I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as I did making them. High temperatures, gallons of sweat, itchy bug bites and sharp thorns be damned. Joe and Pat made it a very special assignment.
This article brought to you by the usual suspect @:
John B. Boykin
"The Hard Hat Photographer"
Photography and Media Relations
San Antonio Midland Williston The World
Life's purpose is not to arrive at the grave in good shape. Hell no, you want to get there late, body worn slap out, skidding sideways, eyes all bloodshot, hair smoking and hollering "Holy Crap !! ... What a ride !!"
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