He settled in McKinney, Texas, and later bought a farm in Collin County, with his intent being to start a ranch and raise cattle.
For a brief time in 1879 he worked as a cowboy along the Chisholm Trail, but found the Kansas winters too harsh, and returned to Texas.
Broke and without employment, Brooks joined the Texas Rangers in January 1883, assigned to "Company F", starting a career that would last twenty three years.
In 1886, while pursuing outlaws in Indian Territory, Brooks became involved in a gunfight that almost cost him his life, resulting in one man being killed.
On March 31, 1887, Brooks accompanied several other Rangers into Sabine County, Texas, hunting for the Connor Gang, a band of family members wanted for murder.
Bill Connor was killed in the first exchange, as was Texas Ranger Jim Moore, while Captain William Scott, Private John Rogers and Brooks were seriously wounded.
Brooks healed from his injuries, and later assisted in the battling of the Fence Cutting War, as well as the Galveston, Texas, "Fitzsimmons-Maher prizefight incident".