I like the idea of the Range Detectives, and honestly, I had forgotten about those guys. I grew up in the cattle and sheep region of Texas, but have been living in the big city too long now. ;)
My only problem with this is that they would be reporting up to the Feds, who are against us to begin with. Maybe reporting up to the State and the Cattlemen’s Association would work?
Why would they be reporting to the feds for stopping someone who was vandalizing a stock tank? That is strictly local not Federal criminal trespass is also strictly local,same with cutting fences & trying to steal vehicles & fuel supplies on the ranch all strictly local.
As for anything that might be federal would be stopping drug mules & the Range Detectives would be able to claim that failure to stop them could lead to their employers property being seized by means of asset forfeiture laws as they were allowing the drugs to cross the ranchers land.