In a Western Writers of America survey, The Day the Cowboys Quit was voted one of the top 25 Best Western Novels of all-time.The time is 1883; the place is the Texas Panhandle. Cowboys refuse to be stigmatized as drinkers and exploited by the wealthy cattle owners who don't pay livable wages. Those very same ranchers want to take away the cowboys' right to own cattle because this ownership, the ranchers believe, would lead to thieving. So, in 1883, the dictum is set: If you're a cowboy, you can't own a cow. When rumors of such legislations travel from wagon to wagon, the cowboys decide to rally and fight for their rights - they gather together and strike.