Transcript

AILSA CHANG, HOST:

In the far northeastern corner of California...

(SOUNDBITE OF COW MOOING)

CHANG: ...Where about four dozen cows are gathered around me, staring at me dead in the eye.

(Laughter) I feel like I'm teaching a class of cow students or something.

We're in Modoc county, where the cows vastly outnumber the humans. I mean, there are only two people per square mile around here.

NED COE: Come boss. Come boss.

CHANG: That's Ned Coe. He's been ranching up here for decades. He still uses the same cattle call that his dad used to use back in the day. What are you actually saying? Come, comma, boys?

N COE: Come boss.

CHANG: Oh, boss.

N COE: Bossy. Bossy.

CHANG: Oh, right.

N COE: Come boss.

CHANG: Come boss.

We're in Modoc County because Californians voted overwhelmingly for Prop 50 to redistrict the state and gain five more Democratic seats.…