Hi, tHe_silent_H,
This is a condensed version of what I had typed in draft; I hope it makes sense.
I do have Esata the Stone Golem in my squad, as well as other Beak Things, Gorillo, Megaraptor, Wild Bulls, Wild Bonedogs, etc. I didn't use a mod to do this either, so no worries. The method I've been using is similar to yours, but a bit different. I catch whatever subject I want to recruit, disarm most of them (not always... depends on what they are) and then put the subject down in HNPD (Holy Nation Police Department). Flotsam (armed) and aggressive critters will attack HN immediately. Esata... I disarmed her first, as I figured she'd strong enough to take out a lot of HN and then she'd have a high bounty, which I wouldn't want to pay to bail her out.
I make sure that when I pay the bail, the subject is unconscious and in the cell. So far, when they've been unconscious, it's been 100% they are absorbed into my army. If they are conscious, then it's a hit and miss. I don't know if bail can be paid when the subject is en route to the cell.
Using this method, I've gotten those named Skeletons (with stats of 75) from the Floodlands, etc. However, I have really strong relations with the HN (100+, from turning in bounties & not accepting payment in exchange for +2 to faction relations with the HN). Strong HN relations helps this method for any non-human (so far). HN doesn't like my non-humans, especially my Skeletons and won't sell to them, etc. But, mine aren't attacked either. Fair exchange, to me. Also, when having good relations with HN, if your new humanoid is bailed out and still injured, the HN will heal them.
This method came about when I hired mercs from World's End to escort me to the Hub; I was really heavy and slow! Haha! While going through HN territory, I wanted to rest in a HN city and that's when the Shek mercs were attacked by HN and most of those hired mercs were imprisoned. I needed the mercs to help me on my travel and bailed them out, so I could hire them as merc-bodyguards again for my trek. However, most joined me. Whoa! After that, I experimented in new games by hiring mercs + 1 small fry recruit and having the small fry cause a fight in HNPD, so the hired mercs would fight to defend me and get imprisoned. Then, a different character would go in and bail them out. As the experiments went on, I tried for more powerful subjects & seeing how far i could push ally relations, especially with HN. HN mercs won't always fight HNPD, etc., though... hit and miss with them.
I like collecting critters

Critters are similar, but HN won't put them in prison cells; you'll have to put them in the prison cell, once HN KOs the critter and puts a bounty on them. Then, they can be bailed out. I don't know if it's possible to make a mod were critters can talk (growl, grunt, etc.) to a plastic surgeon. If they could, maybe they could get names changed to personal ones? I don't know.
* for me, Moll wasn't worth her bail, so I left her in prison.
Sorry for the long, blah read; I hope it helped a bit.