Anyone who thinks hunters vote mainly on the issue of gun rights might want to think again.
A new poll shows a majority of sportsmen are concerned about things like wildlife habitat and clean water...
Most of the people surveyed in the poll by the National Wildlife Federation consider themselves to be conservative or independent. But the NWF's Brenda Archambo said their love of the outdoors trumps all politics...
"We hunt. We fish. We vote conservation."
According to the poll, nearly 90 percent of respondents say the federal government should not issue any oil or gas drilling permits without first considering wildlife habitat and keeping public lands public.
Most also said they'd like to see Clean Water Act protections restored and new investments in renewable energy.
Archambo said there is also support for action on the climate change front, an issue that she said outdoorsmen see every day...
"We've had fish kills, ticks and Lyme Disease, West Nile Virus, the pine beetle infestation, the forest fire in the Upper Peninsula. We know that climate change is fundamentally altering our environment."
The poll was conducted by Chesapeake Beach Consulting. Respondents were randomly drawn from a list of self-identified hunters and anglers who are also registered voters.