A Shot Of Texas

TM

TM

FEATURED CONTRACTOR

62 YEAR LEGACY OF PERFORMANCE

Aggressive Internet Marketing

5

Yeah you wish!

Deer season 2013 reasons Oil & Gas should Embrace Mobile technology

Playing an up or down hill lie

Different deer hunting approaches Like us on Facebook

Blaser R8 Rifle & GameGuard Camo hunt Autumn Antlers NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2013 August 2013 Shot of Texas Magazine™ 1

Minnesota’s only 5 STAR Hunting lodge and THE HUNT OF A LIFETIME.

O

A SHOT OF TEXAS MAGAZINE SPECIALS 170-179 JUST $4995.00 200-219 $10,999.00 380-400 Elk for $9995.00 We have bucks up to 400. Call Denny Niess (320-492-6509) First time booking receive FREE no hunting guest fee

Lots of REFERENCES, here are just a few: Ryan Holder 713-865-1818 Clayton Brister 601-754-1913 Larry Durham 817-922-3687

2 Shot of Texas Magazine™

August 2013

E.

w:

I like your magazine platform. I agree, guys will read that. It will cut across all industry. My CPA hunts and fishes and golfs and plays racquetball. And the attorneys, and all the construction industry guys, and the oil & gas project managers, ad infinitum. I think you had a stroke of inspiration in setting this up. I wish you great things.

Talk soon.

Tara Maria Amavi Founder/President One of Houston’s Top 50 Most Influential Women of 2012 (Houston Woman magazine, January 2013)

A Shot of Texas Magazine™ IN November/December

STAFF Robert & Teffany Kahn Founders

Robert Kahn

Co Editor/Marketing & Events

Teffany Kahn

Co Editor/Contents & Photography

Kendall Kahn Camo Girl

Rod Daigle

Industrial Content Consultant

Butch Ramirez

Wild Life Photographer

Jim Baines

Wild Life Photographer

Barbara Giacalone

Travel Adventure Writer/ Contributor

Karen Johnson Contents Editor

Barry Stewart

Writer/Contributor

OUTDOORS

10. Hunting at Night!

Light Technologies

by Barry Stewart

RECREATION & ENTERTAINMENT 8. Elk/Venison Taco Soup –

by Alex Campbell

13. How To Deer Hunt With Numerous Approaches

14. Cool things in Texas

16. The Versatile Hunting Dog

27. Playing Golf Off Uphill Or Downhill Lies

by Richard J. Todd

20. SLY Marketing Tips To Get You Started

by Buford Mobley

INDUSTRY

by A Shot Staff

by Roseanna Leaton

28. The reality of mother nature. New Zealand’s Earthquakes – The Ring of Fire

by Barbara Giacalone

23. Five Reasons why the Oil and Gas Industry Should Embrace Mobile Technology

by Timothy Haidar

24. Lasers as an Industry Tool

by Michael Breitsameter & Niiko Rautiola

© 2013 A Shot of Texas Magazine. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. For distribution information August 2013and Shotadvertising of Texas Magazine™ 3 or to receive our current Media Kit visit our website or call Robert Kahn 832-922-1508

FROM CONCEPT TO ACTUALITY

Over 3 Decades of Service to the Gulf Coast At Testengeer, we provide a full range of services: • Project Management • Process Engineering • Environmental Services • Process Safety • Control Systems/Instrumentation • Electrical • Process Automation • Mechanical / Piping • Civil / Structural • Design / Drafting • Computer Services • Construction Services PORT LAVACA Corporate Location P.O. Box 557 3777 Hwy 35 South Port Lavaca, TX 77979 Phone: (361) 552-7621 Fax: (361) 552-6976 Contact 4 Shot of Office Texas Magazine™

FREEPORT 6918 Hwy 332 E Freeport, TX 77541 Phone: (979) 373-0120 Fax: (979) 373-0150 Contact Office October-november 2013

CORPUS CHRISTI 400 South Padre Island Blvd Ste 205 Corpus Christi, TX 78405 Phone: (361) 299-6091 Fax: (361) 299-6218 Contact Office

HOUSTON 7902 Cowart Houston, TX 77541 Phone: (713) 676-1201 Fax: (713) 676-0457

4

Camo Girl Product Review Universal Remote Mounted Spot Light Kit

by Light Force

Dad and I gave this a real test at A Shot of Texas Ranch in George town. Firsts we left it on for hours with no noticeable dimming. A big deal if you’re out hunting for hours like we often do. I liked the easy access switch with dimmer feature , and I really like the hard shell hi visibility case. We like to carry our light so don’t forget to ask for the hand held handle unless you like a mounted light.

Field Jacket style FJ-210 BY Game Guard – The

jacket I’m wearing was so cool that I took my Dads just to be sure he orders one in my size. Craig where’s my size small?, LOL. Love the zippered pockets and its soft and comfortable right out of the box.

Both these items have the Camo Girl AWESOMENESS seal of

approval

Camo Girl/ Kendall Rae Kahn

Where the Hunting Season Never Ends 325-347-2815

www.burtonhuntingservice.com

White Tail Mule Deer Javelina Pronghorn Elk Turkey Dove & Quail

Yellow Rose Distilling

T

w o neighbors, Troy Smith and Ryan Baird, spent their weekends and holidays talking about how much fun it could be to quit the corporate world and do something they love. A lot of talk turned into some action and in 2010 they started Yellow Rose Distilling, LLC with the plan to become Houston’s first legal whiskey distillery.

“Yellow Rose Distilling is all about whiskey.

We looked at the spirits market and felt Texas needed some good whiskey!” stated co-founder Ryan Baird. Since there weren’t many distilleries in Texas, Smith traveled to Colorado and Washington to get some hands on experience. “They weren’t looking to make just another Kentucky Bourbon, Instead they wanted to make something different, something Texans could call their own.

November/December 2013 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 5

On the Cover Shot Deer Forecast 2013

You gotta be in the

RIGHT PLACE...

...at the

RIGHT TIME!

TheNetworker.Biz is a calendar of events that includes networking events of most all the Construction related Associations and helps people in the Construction Business. We help increase memberships for construction associations and event participation by sharing ONE calender of events that covers all area networking events.

Basically helping folks be at the right place at the right time!

On the cover wild life photographer and A Shot of Texas Pro Staffer Butch Ramirez has out done himself again. A special thanks to the Tipps Ranch for sharing the photo with us.

Texas’ has 3.3 million deer and 500,000 licensed hunters in hot pursuit. The buck on our cover is a low fence animal that has been carefully managed by the rancher. It’s all about age, nutrition and disciplined hunters.

Texas White Tailed Deer are doing well despite one of the worst droughts on record last year, the deer population suffered minimal impacts. Most counties had a low fawn crop last year but there were very few reports of any adult mortality related to the drought.

Rain fall was much better compared to last year, and here at A Shot of Texas ranch near Austin we are actually seeing green at the best possible time for antler development and fawn rearing. The Golden Triangle in the south will be in great shape reports Joe Palacios due to the solid rain experienced over the summer months. The Texas Hill Country had the same good news and therefore expect a banner year in both body weight and antler growth.

2007 will provide the most trophy quality bucks as they reach peak antler output and age. The trick of course is to let them live that long. We have noticed that in the corporate world where clients are being entertained as visiting hunters that hosts are often reluctant to discuss the correct animal to harvest. This trend seems to be changing with wildlife management becoming as common as having clients take a practice shot before sitting in the stand.

2013 will be a good year. Lets all enjoy be safe and be mindful of how we present ourselves to the non-hunting public this season.

A Shot of Texas Staff.

TPW forecast contributed to this report 6 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ November/December 2013

Fill your schedule at www.TheNetworker.Biz If you have an event you want people to know about contact us we will be happy to help!

Join Us At Our Upcoming Events November

CFMA GOLF TOURNAMENT

November 2

OPENING DAY DEER SEASON

November 6

ASA SCHMOOZE & MINGLE

November 7

PASADENA ChAMBER TASTE OF ThE TOwN

November 8

ABC MEMBERSHIP BREAKFAST

November 12-14

NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL SHOW

November 15

ABC HOUSTON MEMBERSHIP LUNCHEON

November 19

GOLDEN TRIANGLE BUSINESS LUNCHEON

November 20

ACIT POLITICAL BREAKFAST / ABC MEMBER MIxER

Dec 11

ABC HOUSTON PAC HOLIDAY PARTY

January (2014) 14-17

SHOT SHOW LAS VEGAS

January 9-12

DALLAS SAFARI CLUB CONVENTION

January 17-19

HOUSTON SAFARI CLUB CONVENTION

We are happy to publish your Outdoor or Industry event, Email info@ashotoftexas.net. For more industry event details visit www. thenetworker.biz. For outdoors visit the event sponsor websites.

ENG_

A cold shoulder is a good thing.

E!

Doesn’t do you much good to harvest a trophy buck if you can’t get the meat back home without spoiling. That’s where your high-performance Engel Cooler comes in.

When it’s time to pack out, your Engel Cooler will keep that shoulder cold. You’ll get your game to the processor in top condition, without worrying about how it will taste when it reaches the table.

Engel builds the original high-performance cooler, designed to hold the cold for 8-to-10 days. Independent testing shows high-performance Engel Coolers come out on top. A fact you’ll appreciate when you finally get that cold shoulder back home.

A lot of thought went into the design of our Engel Coolers. We use these things every day, whether we’re in the field or on the water. Take a closer look at what makes an Engel Cooler better.

• Rugged outer shell that can handle being knocked around • 2 Inches of insulation keep the cold where it belongs • Our engineered lid is designed for strength – go ahead, sit on it, stand on it, step on it • Slicone-rubber gasket and flush-mount draw-down latches make a tight seal • Mulitple tie-down options keep your Engel Cooler secure in camp or in your truck • Rope handles and built-in grips fit your hands and make it easier to haul around • Available in 7 sizes for all kinds of uses on the job, on the water and in the field.

Engel USA • Jupiter, FL • (888) 272-9838

www.engel-usa.com

November/December August2013 2013 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 77

ENG_ColdShoulder_1PG4C.indd 1

8/14/13 2:41 PM

s y u G

with Pitmaster, Rob Kahn

Elk/Venison Taco Soup

By Alex Campbell/ Campbell Security Solutions 1 lb. Ground Beef or any other type of Animal 1 Onion 1 Can Stewed Tomatoes 1 Can Rotel Tomatoes 1 Can Pinto Beans 1 Can Ranch Style Beans 1 Can Corn 1 Can Hominy or Garbanzo Beans 1 Packet Taco Seasoning 1 Packet Ranch Dip 1 Can of Beer

Brown Ground Beef and Onions in a Large Deep Pot. Then Add All Other Ingredients. Include all the Juices from the Cans. Simmer over Medium Heat. The Longer it Cooks the better it is. Serve with Grated Cheese, Tortilla Chips. Optional Items can be Diced Avocados, and Sour Cream.

Alex Campbell is an avid outdoorsman and supporter of the Oil Gas and Industrial Construction industry in Texas and worldwide. If you get a chance to meet Alex ask him about the grilled artichokes from our August/September issue. He claims you won’t be able to speak until you finish eating his soup.

Share your recipes with us by emailing info@ashotoftexas.net

Our unparalleled emphasis on safety and craft training has made UPS one of the largest providers of millwright and field machining services in the United States.

With seven office locations, UPS is widely recognized as the premier provider of rotating equipment services nationwide.

•

•

•

CALIFORNIA

LOUISIANA

B AT O N R O U G E LOS A N G E L E S MODESTO SAN FRANCISCO

8 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ November/December 2013

TEXAS

WASHINGTON

BEAUMONT HOUSTON

BURLINGTON

CORPORATE OFFICE

Turbines Compressors Pumps Millwright Services Daily & Nested Maintenance Field Machining Services Bolt Torquing & Tensioning Turnaround Services Projects — New Installation & Relocation

800.479.6881 www.universalplant.com

•

•

The Infinity Group A Legacy of Performance

• Electrical & Instrumentation • Civil & Environmental • Maintenance & Turnarounds • General Mechanical • Definitive Service to the Chemical, Petrochemical and Refining Industries

Celebrating 62 years!

522 Commerce Avenue, Clute Texas 77531

www.inf-grp.com August 2013 Shot of Texas Magazine™ 9

Hunting at Night!

Light Technologies

By Barry Stewart

H

unters have long taken advantage of calling predators at night, but with advances in light technology, and hogs thrown into the mix, it’s a different game now! Learn the latest about HOW to hunt with artificial light, and what animals see when you do shine the light their direction.

It can make the difference in a successful hunt, or going home empty handed.

Lights and gear for night hunting I am never disappointed in the advances in Light Technology from year to year that caters to outdoor use and hunters.

Perhaps I’d better explain a bit about how successful hunters use the latest tools of the trade to increase their success, as well as the basics of how light technology is advancing, and what the animals you are hunting perceive when you light them up at night.

In animals there is a layer of tissue in the eye called the tapetum lucidum. It acts as a reflector, and improves the animal’s night vision. The reflective tissue acts as a mirror to bounce the available light off the surface and thus enhancing night vision for the animal.

This tissue is also what causes an animal’s eyes to shine back when you direct light at them. This mechanical working of animal eyes is important to know so you as a hunter can use the workings to your advantage.

How many of you have hunted with an old Q-Beam style light? Quite a few, I’d wager... I would also say that if you have, and you hit an animal with a bright light, it spooked and ran in most cases.

The reason an animal spooks is the sudden shock of the light on it.

Red light as seen with full power and directed straight on.

10 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ November/December 2013

I mean, wouldn’t you be spooked if someone ran into your living room and turned on all the lights as you were nibbling popcorn and watching a movie in the glow of the TV? Exactly!

So, in short, you have to diminish the shock factor when shining lights on animals you hunt at night. At least if you want anything but a running shot.

Hunting and spotting game are divided into two phases. The first is called scanning. As you are driving around the field for hogs, or set up using a call to call in predators, you are scanning all around with your light. Once you turn the light on, just leave it on. Turning it on and off is not to your advantage at all.

The trick to successful scanning, and spoting an animal without spooking it is to use a dim light. Yes, a DIM light.

This is best achieved with the use of a rheostat. A light that is equipped with a rheostat can be adjusted for scanning

Rheostat switch and shooting after the animal is identified as genuine prey you are after, and not the neighbor’s dog, or milk cow, or out of season deer.

I will scan until the animal is spotted with a light that has a rheostat. Once the animal has been spotted, you enter the second phase of night hunting with a light… Identification and making the shot.

November/December 2013 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 11

At the Dale Company there’s no ducking out early!

Even during hunting season.

PRO-COAT U-BOLT Pipe Protection and corrosion resistance Eliminate metal to metal contact U-BOLTS INDUSTRIAL FASTENERS GASkET ANCHOR BOLTS STUDS

713-928-3437 www.dalecompany.com CUSTOM ORDERS AND SHORT LEAD TIMES. GIvE US A CALL 713-928-3437 12 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ November/December 2013

t n u H r e e D How To s e h c a o r p p A s With Numerou es

th Numerous Approach

How To Deer Hunt Wi

D

eer hunting is a complex sport that has been developed through centuries of practice. In ancient times, of course, any way to catch and kill a deer was the right way, so long as it fed and sustained the community. On the other hand, scaring potential game off, or firing a shot and missing, meant failure. While deer hunting has carried over to the modern world, the question of how to deer hunt has more answers now, as leisure hunters have developed many modern styles of coming home with a deer or two to boast.

Stand hunting is the most popular form of deer hunting. Stand hunters use tree stands, which are elevated platforms attached to tree trunks. Some tree stands use boxes instead of platforms for more security. Tree stands give hunters better vantage points to make it easier for them to make the killing shot.

There are many kinds of stands for hunting. There are even stands that resemble small houses on stilts, for more comfort and security for the hunter. People may even opt to buy accessories for their stands, such as bow holders, covers and umbrellas. Stand hunting is so popular that deer have actually gotten used to it throughout the years. Half a century ago, deer did not look out for potential predators above the eyeline. Today, deer look up to spot hunters who are looking for a kill.

Still hunting, on the other hand, may offer hunters more chances at a kill, because with still hunting, the hunter looks for deer instead of waiting for them to come into view. This method is also called stalking the prey. With still hunting, game hunters usually go to spots in a range where deer are likely to travel, perhaps following maps, hoof trails or other elements. Once a hunter spots an area he or she thinks a deer is likely to pass through, he waits there for a while and shoots game if he gets lucky or moves on if he does not. Still hunters have to exercise great care as hasty movement may give one’s position away to deer and drive them away, defeating the purpose. Inexperienced hunters may also run into trouble if they are not careful in hunting deer using still hunting.

Dog hunting is an interesting way on how to deer hunt, and traces its origins back to the hunting-and-gathering days of humanity. Dog hunting is actually one of the ways dogs became domesticated and later on a very integral part of human life. Dog became man’s best friend because he helped him hunt. In modern dog hunting, trained dogs chase down deer until they come into the line of sight of a hunter. This kind of hunting requires a well-trained dog that can follow directions easily, and of course who can spot prey well and chase it down to its master.

In learning how to hunt deer, it is crucial to learn these various kinds of hunting. They all have their advantages and disadvantages, and it is up to the hunter to determine which one works best for the situation at hand.

November/December 2013 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 13

L O O C INGS TH S A X E T IN

This cabin dates back to the 1800s

This is what was waitin g for the project manager when he arrived at the office down in the Eagle Ford Shale in Zavala County. No word on what happened to the snake Andice General Store: If you are ever in the Austin area do yourself a favor and take a 40 minute drive to Andice Texas. The hamburgers’ made here are nothing short of AMAZING. Frankly were not even sure if a hamburger should be this good.

We picked Swiss and Hatch Peppers as the toppings and literally ordered another one as soon as we finished the first. All of our staff agreed. Take the time and make the trip A Shot of Texas Staff

This beautiful John Deer M is on display along with lots of vintage antique equipment and historic memorabilia at Burnett County Museum in Burnett Texas

14 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ November/December 2013

This photo was taken in the heart of Eagle Ford Shale ar ea outside Jourdanton. These guys actually put a dent on our less wanted Rattlesnake friends like the one above

August 2013 Shot of Texas Magazine™ 15

The versatile Hunting Dog Richard J. Todd

M

ost of us that have hunted, know a bit about hunting dogs. Labrador Retrievers are for retrieving ducks and for some, flushing pheasant. English Pointers are the quintessential quail hunting dog. That’s simply because Labs are known for retrieving, and Pointers are known for pointing. Makes sense! But what if you’re the average person who likes to hunt and it may be ducks and geese one day, and quail the next. Maybe, if you’re lucky, it is ducks in the morning and quail in the afternoon. I’m in! Get yourself a big dog trailer. Or, get yourself a Versatile Hunting Dog. Centuries ago, the high gentry in Europe owned the land and in their mind, the game. They had hired help that managed the game and how they hunted it. These Game Marshalls took care of kennels full of specialized dogs, some for waterfowl, some for quail, grouse, partridge, others for tracking deer, and still others for running fox and vermin. They had the means and they had the dogs, lots of them. Then came the Industrial Revolu-

tion which stratified (nice petroleum industry term) the classes. Soon there were business men, doctors, engineers, that developed an interest in hunting. They didn’t necessarily own land, but had the means to hunt game. So, these new hunters needed a single dog to keep in their home that could hunt everything. Culture, economics, and love for hunting, pushed them towards the development of the versatile hunting breeds.

16 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ November/December 2013

A versatile hunting breed would be defined as a dog that can hunt all types of game, before and after the shot.

Search a field, point, retrieve, track wounded or running game. In the mid-19th century, groups of dedicated men in several countries in Europe began developing their version of the versatile hunting dog. By the early 20th century, many of these breeds became popular with hunters and all possessed the necessary skills to hunt many types

of game, and provide for the hunter and his families table.

Many of us know the more popular breeds of these dogs.

The German Shorthaired Pointer, the Brittany Spaniel, the English Setter, Weimaraner, and Vizsla. There are many more, all possessing the skills as a versatile hunter, while having specific qualities that appeal to differing owners. Some of us have hunted with these breeds but may not have known their capability to hunt out of a duck boat, or track a wounded deer, or be patient and stealthy enough to pin down a woodcock.

Like retriever clubs or pointing field trials, there is an organization for the promotion and development of the versatile hunting breeds. Since its inception in 1969 as a non-profit organization, the North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA) has been strongly committed to fostering, improving, promoting, and protecting the versatile hunting dog in North America. Supporting these aims is the desire to serve the interests of game conservation, the prevention of cruelty to animals, and good sportsmanship by encouraging hunters to use dogs that are well trained in work before and after the shot, on land and in the water.

NAVHDA recognizes 28 breeds that are the spectrum of European and now North American culture, German, French, Braque D’auvergne Braque Du Bourbonnais Braque Francais Brittany Cesky Fousek Drentsche Patrijshond English Setter

French Spaniel German Longhaired Pointer German Shorthaired Pointer German Wirehaired Pointer Gordon Setter Irish Red & White Setter Irish Setter

Czech, Slovakian, Italian, and more. My family’s breed of choice is the Italian Spinone, or as it is simply known today, Spinone. Each breed was developed in its home country for a specific purpose. The Spinone was developed to hunt the rough rocky terrain of Northern Italy, and not be deterred by prickly harsh “Spino” bushes. Much like a mesquite or huisache I suppose. These dogs are a pleasure to hunt with in the field and more importantly when we return, they are a wonderful companion dog.

That is the essence of the versatile hunting dog. Not a kennel dog that requires special handling, or barks and carries on, but a polite dog that can be a pet for your family during the week, and a stud in the field on the weekend. Or, as I prefer to call them, my favorite hunting partners!

If you are interested in learning more about Versatile Hunting Dogs, please go to the NAVHDA International website at www.navhda.com.

Also, take a look at one of the two NAVHDA Chapters right here in the great State of Texas; Lone Star NAVHDA, primarily serving Southeast Texas (www.lonestarnavhda. org) or Texas NAVHDA, primarily serving North Texas (www.texasnavhda.org).

See how many of the 28 Versatile Hunting Dog Breeds you might be familiar with: Large Munsterlander Picardy Spaniel Pointer (English) Portuguese Pointer Pudelpointer Slovakian Wirehaired Pointer Small Munsterlander

Grander Supply serves the Chemical, Pipeline, Oil, Gas and Refining Industry. Demanding industries need reliable suppliers that understand their specifications and needs.

Grander’s focus includes: Value added quality products and services including pipe, valves, fittings, PPE, consumables and outdoor supplies.

Visit our newest additional location on I-10 East

Baytown: 281-421-8800 6700 I-10 East Baytown, Texas 77521 Mont Belvieu: 281-385-5100 10818 Highway 146 North Mont Belvieu, Texas 77580

Spinone Stichelhaar Vizsla Weimaraner Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Wirehaired Vizsla

natureblinds.com November/December 2013 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 17

The OSHA Regulatory Experts that Owners, Contractors, & Professional Service firms have depended on for 27 years. We will guide you through every obstacle in your path to EFFECTIVE & SUSTAINABLE SAFETY. TCA’s Safety Team is here to guide you every step of the way.

We Serve: ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Construction & General Industry Oil & Gas Chemical plants Industrial piping & steel Schools/Education

78 Greensward Ln.

✓ Aviation ✓ Medical ✓ Residential construction ✓ Television stations ✓ Telecom industry

Sugar Land, TX 77479

When it comes to

SAFETY

DON’T GO IT ALONE...

LET TCA BE YOUR GUIDE

A Woman-Owned Business Tara Amavi, One of Houston’s 2012 Top 50 Most Influential Woman

✓ Architectural firms ✓ Law Firms ✓ Insurance loss control companies ✓ Insurance agents/brokers ✓ Clothing manufacturers

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Well bore placement Trade Associations Hotels Entertainment, dude ranch, racetrack Commercial Real Estate and Facilities

713.263.7661 Hello@Tcamembers.com

A Shot of Texas encourages you to submit your article on Outdoors or Industry, and it’s always free. Buford Mobley hits it on the head with this article.

SLY Marketing Tips To Get You Started

A

rticle marketing tips are a very useful way to get started making money on the Internet by driving more traffic to your website. As you will no doubt be familiar with now, the amount of traffic that you get your website can never be too little. In order to build up your traffic, you need to do as much search engine optimization and advertising as you can.

Article marketing is mostly used as a way to get back links to your website. You should be aware by now that your search engine PR is one of the most important things to you in order to get traffic to your website. For traffic means more money of course. Well, you’re search engine PR will increase partly due to the number of back links you have.

Back links are created in lots of different ways but article marketing is by far one of the most effective ways to get them. This is because you write a lot of articles which are relevant to your niche and posted all over

By: Buford Mobley

the Internet. As you would expect by now, the articles include a resource box which in turn includes the back links to your website.

Obviously, you can never have too many. You can never do too much article marketing, so the best idea is to do what you feel comfortable with and, if you are finding it is going really well, you can also hire the services offer professional content writing organization.

The most important thing in article marketing is the resource box, a small text box and a picture of yourself usually, which is automatically attached to every article that you submit. Most importantly, this resource box includes the link to your website so; if people are interested in your website, then hopefully they will click that link to see more.

This is why of course, you need to make your articles interesting to people.( How about a hunting article related to what you

20 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ November/December 2013

do).Make sure you know your field and make sure you give some information away. The whole idea is for a successful marketing campaign to be such that somebody read your article and clicks on the link to your website.

Stay on topic when writing your articles for article marketing purposes, so that your website is very much a continuation and elaboration on the articles you have written. Also, remember that the more articles you submit to the more directories the better. For those who are serious about article marketing, you can do very well by using a unique article wizard program, which costs a bit of money.

Come see the all-new online store www.GameGuard.net and register for weekly specials and other great offers you won’t find anyplace else.

For a Dealer in your area, or more information about GameGuard products, please contact us at: 1.888.381.GAME or visit us at www.GameGuard.net © 2013, GameGuard®, The Official Camouflage of the Lone Star State®

When it Comes to

ON-SITE MEDICAL SERVICES

WE STAND ALONE Since 1991, our focus has been on the changing needs of the industrial community. Helping Client Companies save time and consequently money. The foundation of our program is built on the strength of our professional staff and long-term commitment to industrial health care and quality customer service.

Medical Surveillance, Customized Medical Programs to include but not be limited too, asbestos, lead, noise, and hazardous chemical environments.

Audiometric - Chest X-Ray - History & Physical Examinations - Phlebotomy - Pulmonary Function Testing - Respirator Fit Testing - Annual Influenza immunization - Wellness - Drug Screening There are advantages to using a “Mobile” Occupational Medical Provider: • Complete specialized physicals on site with a multiphase mobile unit or in an appropriate area at your own facility • Flexible timetable to accommodate changing shift schedules • Eliminates liability traveling to offsite testing facilities • Time saving and cost effective • Reduces employees’ time away from the job 22 Shot of Texas Magazine™

August-september 2013

Medical Plaza Mobile Surveillance 1009 S. Broadway La Porte, TX 77571

281-470-8770

www.medicalplazamobile.com

nce

com

5 A

Reasons why the Oil and Gas Industry Should Embrace Mobile Technology

by Timothy Haïdar

ccording to recently collated statistics, global businesses will spend $168 billion on enterprise mobility by 2015 of which some five per cent – $8 billion – will be spent exclusively on oil and gas mobile applications. Mobility has become an enterprise requirement for the oil and gas sector.

Smartphones and tablets combined make up 70 per cent of all electronic devices sold in 2012 totaling an estimated 821 million units by year’s end. Tablet purchases by businesses reached 13 million units in 2012 and are set to more than quadruple to 53 million by 2016. In line with this prediction, information technology research firm Gartner Inc, have also pre-dicted that two thirds of mobile workers will own a smartphone by 2016.

A recent survey conducted here at Oil and Gas IQ showed that employees in the oil and gas sector are already ahead of this trend, will 71 per cent of workers using mobile devices for work purposes, especially those in engaged in field operations, technical roles, and senior decision makers.

According to Gartner smart device analysts, Carolina Milanesi: “The ubiquity of smartphones and the increasing popularity of tablets are changing the way businesses look at their device strategies.”

Despite this curve-leading behavior, at this point in time only one third of the upper echelon of oil and gas companies have their own mobile applica-

FIELD DATA CAPTURE The province of a man, his pen and a notepad days are gone

STREAMLINING yOUR BUSINESS PROCESSES Manually scheduling is too time consuming.

REAL REAL-TIME OPERABILITy OPERABILIT Field data capture by digital beaumobile devices has the beau operty of adding a real-time oper ability to the tasks in hand.

MAINTENANCE Emergent problems to be addressed immediately by main maintenance technicians. This will lead to increased efficiency in the field due to the timely scheduling and application of mobile devices tions, and our CIO Survey showed that while 55 per cent of CIOs believed that mobile technology would greatly enhance operations, only 16 per cent of these C-level executives have employed a mobility strategy in their organizations so far.

The technology is there and the trends towards mobile device integration and Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) are only going to continue apace, yet the oil and gas industry has been late to the party in taking advantage of the benefits that enterprise mobility can offer.

Here are the ways mobility can benefit your organization.

GEOLOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION GPS-enabled smartphones and tablets allow for geolocation – the identification of the real-world geographic location of an object. In this way mobility can not only save time and money but lives.

And it is not only people that can be tracked and traced with mobile solutions. Fitting inventory with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag turns them into “smart assets” with visibility of movement throughout the entirety of the supply chain.

November/December 2013 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 23

Lasers as an Industry Tool By: Michael Breitsameter and Niiko Rautiola; FW Gartner Thermal Spraying

W

hen people hear the term “lasers,” they may think about space-age guns shooting red and green bolts of light or the “Star Wars” project of the 80’s where lasers were going to be used to shoot down ICBM’s. Others may think of lasers that are used during medical procedures, hair removal etc. The industrial sector has found a new use for lasers, using them to apply overlays/coatings to protect or reclaim high value industrial components.

Materials today must often withstand higher temperatures, harsher environments, longer lifecycles between maintenance, and taxing 24/7 operations. Laser Cladding technology has provided the coating industry a new and unique way to utilize cutting edge materials technology, to dramatically improve functional surface properties, without the metallurgically destructive effects that standard welding causes.

As we discussed in the June 2013 issue, FW Gartner ( a business unit of Curtiss Wright Surface Technologies) utilizes a range of surface enhancing technologies such as thermal spraying, including the HVOF (High Velocity Oxygen Fuel) process discussed. Laser Cladding is yet another process wherein metallic powder (or wire) is deposited onto a component and essentially welded to it using an optimized laser beam as the heat source.

Laser Cladding technology has been around since the 1970s however it has only recently become industrially mature enough for use by general industry. From utility knife blades to medical instruments and automobiles, Laser Cladding is enabling new repairs, overlays and protective layers that were previously unavailable. The magic behind the process is the almost infinitely controllable and highly tailored laser beam, combined with robotic automation programs which are written specifically for each component. Just input the program into the machine and let the laser and the robot do the work.

One of the biggest advantages of this technology is the ability to recover, or even enhance the mechanical properties of a component. If components are beginning to wear out or parts don’t fit as tight as they

24 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ November/December 2013

once did, Laser Cladding may be just what the doctor ordered. Other advantages of the Laser Cladding process, as compared to other welding processes, are the very low heat input to the part, and minimized dilution between the overlay material and the substrate, Laser Cladding, based on its precisely controlled heat input, reduces the adverse “metallurgical side effects” that other forms of welding, including PTA (Plasma Transferred Arc) . Operators are now able to clad a wide range of geometries as well as thin sections/edges that were previously impossible to clad, and to produce high purity overlays with just a single pass, avoiding much of the waste of other processing methods.

As markets continue to grow and technology continues to evolve, it is imperative to have access to the very latest technologies for the protection and reclamation of key components that are working in increasingly challenging environments.

FW Gartner continues to provide just that with the addition of multiple automated Laser Cladding systems to their facility. This new state-of-the-art processing technology, coupled with their proven ability to produce advanced Thermal Spray coatings and first-class machining under one roof makes them a one-stop-shop for Houston’s vast Oil and Gas industry.

THE BIGGEST THING WE MOVE IS TIME

When it comes to lifting, transporting, installing and decom-

be set in concrete or forged in steel. It isn’t even all that heavy.

missioning large structures, we believe your biggest challenges

And yet, it’s the biggest thing we can move for you. If you are

aren’t about size. They’re about time. Uptime, turnaround time

facing logistical challenges in construction, maintenance or

and time to market. While the right equipment is essential,

decommissioning, give us a call.

it’s often not enough to get a job done in time. Mammoet brings deadlines forward through careful planning, innovative

For more information please call Guus Stigter, our Vice

engineering and safe delivery.

President of Sales at 281- 369 - 2200. Or send an e-mail to:

With offices throughout the USA, Mammoet provides tailor-

guus.stigter@mammoet.com

made solutions for engineered heavy logistics. Time may not

Discover more on www.mammoet.com

November/December 2013 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 25

325-347-2815

www.texashome-landrealty.com

Clay County Ranch for Sale State = Texas County = Clay

Type = Acreage w/House Acres = 559.00

Price = $2,999,995.00

Ok boys, get our your checkbooks!!!

If you’re looking for a top-notch mule deer and cattle ranch in Texas, this is the one for you!!

Wildlife consist of Mule Deer, Elk, Quail, Dove, and Javelina. It is already under Level 3 MLD wildlife program. This ranch will run approx.

150 head of mama cows on average year.

Property also has Oil and Natural gas opportunity, it comes with 8 sections of mineral classified.

There is a modest headquarters that works perfect for a hunting cabin.

You will look long and hard before you find a ranch of this caliber at this price!!

10,OOO acres/

$ 550.00 per acre.

2626A Shot of Texas Magazine™ November/December 2013

Description = One of a kind turn-key high fenced ranch. Just bring your personal belongings and enjoy the hard work that has already been done for your pleasure. This 559 acre ranch is set up for you to move in to, entertain your clients, and/or have one of the best hunting operations in North Texas. Located less than 100 miles from Dallas/Ft. Worth, this ranch is a great get away or can be a new place to set down your roots. Its not very often you find a place that has everything done just right which helps assist you enjoy your new ranch. This operation is set up for hunting, grazing, fishing, horses and hay production. A grandiose 2 story, 5000 square foot house adorns the front of this property and has some super views of the ranch. It has 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, a game room, a pool and hot tub. The yard has is irrigated via a pump from the nearby 3-5 acre tank. Several barns are set up for equipment or livestock. One of these, a 40x60 metal building (2 roll up doors), contains 5 horse stalls and 2 tack rooms with electricity and water. An equipment barn (36x60) has 1 roll up door and electricity with a very nice awning for pulling equipment under.

The property has cattle pens (with a Pearson alley way and chute) and a roping arena. It is split into 2 pastures. This keeps the cattle out of the 80 acre Coastal field. 30 additional acres have been grubbed and will be sprigged in Tifton this spring. Last year the average was 4bales/ acre. 5 Tanks/Lakes range in size from less than an acre up to 5 acres.

7 water wells, 5 with submersible pumps, 2 are on windmills with one of these having a concrete trough. Under construction is a cleaning shed/ entertainment barn that will contain a cleaning station, walk-in cooler and freezer, and a rock fire pit to tell your buddies how the hunt went.

A 3 bedroom, 2 bath house has been gutted and will be remodeled as a hunting lodge for your guests. Two additional barns are near the hunting lodge (30x40 metal building with a dirt floor and a 15x30 leanto). The pasture has ample cover with brush and mesquite and a couple of food plots for the deer. It features a top of the line deer herd that was stocked about 6 years ago with some of the best genetics in Texas.

Many bucks on the ranch with go better than 170 Boone & Crockett with some of them easily breaking the 200 mark. Seller doesnt own any minerals.

Playing Golf Off Uphill Or Downhill Lies

By Roseanna Leaton

M

y home club has a lot of hills. For me, I think it is the most beautiful course I have ever seen, let alone had the privilege to play upon.

Many others agree with me.

There are people, though, who really do not like our course when they encounter it for the first time.

They do not dislike its beauty. Far from it. They find it tough to play, not because of distance, but rather because of the myriad of different lies that the golfer is forced to play off.

For me, this is absolutely a bonus. We, the members at our club, get to practice all sorts of what would no doubt otherwise be thought of as weird and wonderful golf shots. We joke about our “extreme lies” and “extreme shots”.

As is the case with most things that people fear in live, the root of the fear is individual to the person. When faced with uphill or downhill lies, I know that some golfers fear is that they quite simply aren’t used to them and then this can lead to one of two different issues.

The first is that the shot looks challenging to them. They simply don’t like the look of it. This is where practice is important. If you have practiced them, then you won’t find the look intimidating.

The second thing tis that they don’t know what to do with their set up to compensate or go with the flow of the hillside.

In point of fact, this is where simply knowing what to do in your set up is a vital key.

If you know what to do, then you will feel confident to swing freely and fluidly and not lose your balance.

Many golfers think in terms of changing their swings, yet surely it is simpler, and therefore easier to effect, to know to alter your set up and then swing in balance with the slope?

Fear may also come from a build up of past negative experiences. Every golfer can identify with this. You get to hole number whatever and a whole host of poor shots and high scores pop into your mind. That’s not a good place from which to prepare to swing.

You have to be able to let go of that negativity, that fear, and focus clearly upon the shot in hand, whilst at the same time feeling confident in the outcome.

Golf is a very mental game. Lack of mental focus or emotional control is by far the biggest cause of poor shots than mechanical failure will ever be.

That said, if you are experiencing issues with uphill or downhill lies, the first thing I would do is look to the mechanical side. Do you know how to adjust your set up? Do you know what club to

it relaxes you and puts you “in the moment”, and this in itself removes fear from your mind.

This brings me to another point, that of the requirement of an equally robust post-shot routine. You need to be able to quickly and easily wipe bad shots and their negative energy from your mind and replace them with something that is a whole lot better feeling. You don’t want to allow that negative memory and energy to dig deep into your mind and lurk there, waiting to spring forth the next time you step into a similar spot on the course. And so, if you don’t have a habitual post-shot routine, get one!

With a good mental attitude you will find yourself confidently swinging your

use to take account of the slope? Do you know where to finish your swing? Do you really know how to stay in balance?

It’s actually very easy to adjust yourself upon slopes. You just need to know what to do. Thus, once this issue has been taken care of, you can think about the other potential problems.

The first is that of focus. Do you have a good pre-shot routine that has become habitual? If not, get one! This is essential in good golf, for many reasons. Firstly you have a clear picture of the desired shot and swing. Secondly,

clubs and hitting great shots on those formerly “pesky” uphill or downhill lies.

Your mind can even assist you when the issue is lack of practice. Simply by visualizing great shots for a couple of minutes at a time, you are putting in very effective practice. This type of “armchair” visualization practice has been found to be just as effective as actual practice.

P.S. Discover how to focus your golf mind and play winning golf through mental golf training. Check out my website now.

November/December 2013 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 27

THE REALITY OF MOTHER NATURE

New Zealand’s Earthquakes – The Ring of Fire

T

he Ring of Fire is a loop of volcanos stretching from New Zealand to the eastern edge of Asia to the Aleutian Islands off Alaska, continuing down the coast of North & South America

endured a 7.1 magnitude earthquake with ongoing aftershocks into February 2011, when a 6.3 magnitude quake struck. Scientists theorize that the 2010 quake may have actually been two or three simultaneous earthquakes.

2011- Christchurch’s historic business district was badly damaged, killing 185 people. The majority of the fatali-

My first article was an overview of our itinerary, along with a map showing our exact routing from Wellington on the North Island, across Cooks Strait by ferry, disembarking in Picton on the South Island.

Our journey continued down the east coast where we continued to absorb stunning scenery periodically stopping to enjoy several pods of seals “frolicking” along the rocky coastline.

We arrive Christchurch, an historic city recently devastated by earthquakes.

Christchurch - Mother Nature hits hard … in September 2010 the city 28 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ November/December 2013

ties were from people in two collapsed multi-level office buildings, along with people walking on the streets below.

The quake collapsed rock cliffs in districts with homes and office complexes sending boulders tumbling onto cars, busses and pedestrians. This heavily damaged district is now known today as the “Red Zone”.

It was obvious that our tour guide had been part of this disaster as she was emphatic and precise in her narration of the quakes as we rode through the mangled streets viewing crumbled buildings….. with sewer/water systems damaged, lines broken and a strong smell of sulfur widely reported throughout the city.

Thankfully, the epicenter was inland from Christchurch away from the coast, so no tsunami occurred.

When we think of islands sitting out in oceans we overlook that many of these islands are thousands of years old, formed from massive volcanos.

Christchurch sits largely on swampy land causing buried pipes to float to the surface. Parts of the city many years ago were expanded onto this swamp.

The earthquake shook the earth turning water-saturated layers of sand and silt into sludge……. which brings me to the phase…Soil Liquefaction...the phenomenon of soil by which it is transformed quickly by an external force from a solid to a liquefied state.

Imagine an individual jumping up and down on what appears to be dry soil only for it to move like jelly. This “jellied soil” caused buckling, cracking and crumbled foundations of homes and businesses.

City Chancellors require that all historic buildings be surveyed for integrity before restoration. Those that fail must be demolished, by hand. To my knowledge only one quake damaged historic building has been imploded.

Soil compaction has since been undertaken in parts of the city to stabilize

the ground and indications are the ground is holding firm.

During our visit we drove throughout the city visiting families affected by the earthquakes. Countless families were forced to leave their homes, finding alternate housing until safety assessments could be completed. As you can well imagine this took months to evaluate, this work continues today, with families/homes/lives truly disrupted.

Christchurch had very little pillaging in their city after the earthquake.

One incident was recorded when police promptly arrested a couple of opportunists who had broken into a liquor store…The Judge sentenced them for burglary, looting and for not respecting regular business hours!

New Zealanders have a brilliant country with pristine scenery along with their views of life, unpretentious and forthright.

Definitely one of my favorite countries in the world. ”I tip my hat to Kiwi’s” They maintain a desire for a solid and respectful lifestyle… should be a lesson for all.

Bon Voyage…Barbara World Wild Adventures

November/December 2013 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 29

UNDER THE FEEDER

Send your best feeder photos to rob@ashotoftexas.net.

Houston, TX Corporate Office

TEL: 281–431–5900 FAX: 281–431–6881 www.sprintpipeline.com Sprint Pipeline Services offer a wide range of pipeline and utility construction, maintenance, and fabrication services throughout the central U.S.

UFC Welterweight Champion Matt Hughes and Champion knife maker Thomas Rucker

Knivesbythomas.com

832-216-8122

30 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ November/December 2013

Off. 409-866-9155 FAX 409-866-2740 Email: leroy@larcoind.com

LARCO INDUSTRIES Structural Steel Fabrication “Since 1972” www.larcoind.com

P.0. Box 20498 Beamont, Texas 77720 Off. 409-866-9155 FAX 409-866-2740 Email: leroy@larcoind.com

LARCO INDUSTRIES Structural Steel Fabrication “Since 1972” www.larcoind.com

November/December Shot of of Texas Texas Magazine™ Magazine™ 31 October-november2013 2013 A Shot

4500 Williams Drive, Ste 212-413 Georgetown, TX 78633