I had a lot of cowboy relatives here in the middle of Nevada in the 1940s and clear into the '60s. Most of 'em smoked and rolled their own. When they came to town and put on the dog they smoked store-bought, mostly Camels if I recall. The reason for the loose tobacco on the job was that the bag and papers would stand up to all the kicking around in pockets and even saddle bags and car glove boxes of their workday activity.

On a side note, one uncle smoked a pipe at home, but on the job used cigars so he could hold them in his mouth (ugh). When he'd got them down to the last bit too short to hold, he'd put the soggy plug into a special-kept pipe and smoke that. Too much cheapskate for me!

He also kind of looks like Abraham Lincoln ...

Growing up, I watched many a cowboy roll his own cigarette. I thought it was a matter of preference, rather than economy. In today's world, if this rugged man went into the city, he could easily be ticketed or even arrested for carrying drug paraphernalia.

My first thought was how perfect it would be for this to be the cover image for one of those romance novels about the girl getting the cowboy, but I bet it wouldn't sell to the intended audience!