On Guard

TSCRA Special Ranger Marvin Wills shares ways to protect against livestock and property theft.

By Chrissy Fly

ATexas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Ranger for 14 years, Marvin Wills has stood alongside cattle raisers on some of their most challenging days. It’s never a call you want to receive when a theft or crime has occurred, but the association’s commissioned peace officers are there to investigate and serve ranchers and landowners.

Wills was a recent guest on the TSCRA Talk podcast, sharing memorable cases he’s experienced through the years. He also shared his advice and tips for protecting yourself, your land and livestock.

It starts with being cautious, and realizing new methods of buying and selling make it easy to pull off a scam. Wills said the special rangers are seeing an increased number of people purchasing livestock or equipment online, paying for it and never receiving anything in return.

In those types of cases, Wills said it is extremely hard to trace back to the suspect and victims typically do not recover any of their lost funds. A few precautionary steps can help ranchers and landowners protect themselves.

“My tip is to talk to the seller on the phone, meet with them and go see the merchandise in person,” Wills said. “If it’s not possible to meet or see what is being bought in person, I recommend waiting to pay for anything until after it is received or write a check for it, so it can be tracked in case something goes wrong.”

Beyond the virtual marketplace, another strategy to reduce risk on the ranch is a somewhat simple one — get to know your neighbors.

Wills said one of the first questions a special ranger will ask if livestock can’t be found is if the owner has talked to their neighbors. It’s important for ranchers to know who is around their property and have their phone numbers handy in case of suspicious activity.

Also, be sure your animals are branded. If any of your livestock do go missing, Wills said it is imperative to

have them branded in order to locate them. He recalled a case where several cattle were stolen, and the special rangers were able to quickly identify and recover all the cattle because of the brands. When it comes to equipment, Wills said a few photos could be one of the most important tools should the property ever go missing. “Take a photo of the VIN number, plate numbers or serial number,” Wills suggested. “If the property is ever stolen, those numbers can immediately be entered into the law enforcement’s system and help us locate the property much easier.” In the unfortunate event that property is stolen, whether it is livestock or equipment, Wills said the first step should be to call the local sheriff’s office. Then, follow up with the special rangers. Wills recommended having Marvin Wills TSCRA Special Ranger all the important information together before you call, so law enforcement and

District 15 special rangers will have all the details. “You need to know the last time the property was seen and be able to describe any identifying factors in as much detail as possible,” he said. Wills couldn’t stress enough how important it is for ranchers to be vigilant and keep up with their property. And remember: The special rangers are always available to be a resource, answer questions and offer advice on protecting your livestock and property. “We’re here to serve the producers,” Wills said. “We are always glad to visit with people or answer questions.” To hear more of the conversation, download TSCRA Talk via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher. For more information or to locate the special ranger in your area, visit tscra.org. T C Chrissy Fly is a freelance writer and graduate student at Oklahoma State University.