Presidential candidates hope to bag some sportsmen's votes.

Byline: INSIDE THE OUTDOORS By Mike Stahlberg The Register-Guard

Now is a time for all seasons - hunting, fishing, hiking and, of course, politicking.

With snow in the hills and elk season under way in the Cascades, several Oregon hunters uncharacteristically found themselves spending Wednesday afternoon in a Eugene Town Club meeting room.

The occasion was a "round table symposium" with Stephen Griles, deputy secretary of the Department of the Interior. The event was organized on two days' notice by Dave Dalros of Springfield, the Oregon director of the Sportsmen for Bush Coalition.

The opportunity to discuss national and regional hunting, fishing and conservation issues with someone with Cabinet-level access drew leaders of several sportsmen's groups from around the state, including the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Oregon Hunters Association, Oregon Bowhunters and the National Rifle Association.

I don't know who will win the presidential election.

But I do know the outcome is likely to turn on the votes of people who hunt, fish, watch birds and backpack into wilderness areas.

The campaigns of both President Bush and Sen. John Kerry realize that as well.

Indeed, it appears hunters and anglers may play an even greater role in the election than members of most other interest groups.

That's because hunters and anglers are likely to turn out in greater numbers in three key "swing states," according to the results of a survey released this week by the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, a bipartisan group that works with the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus.

The survey of licensed hunters and anglers in Florida, New Mexico and Ohio suggests that the percentage of "likely voters" is 75 percent in Ohio, 80 percent in New Mexico and 82 percent in Florida - all figures well above the national average.

There's no reason to believe interest is significantly less among sportsmen in states such as Oregon, where important Electoral College votes are still up for grabs.

Significantly, eight out of 10 sportsmen surveyed stated that a candidate's position on hunting and fishing issues is important in determining who they will vote for. A majority said it is "essential" for a candidate to share their views on such issues.

Gun rights topped the list of sportsmen's issues in Florida and New Mexico, while preventing mercury contamination of fish was the top concern in Ohio.

There are 40 million sportsmen of voting age in the United States, according to Doug Painter of the Hunting and Shooting Sports Heritage Foundation.

"If all of us had voted in the 2000 presidential election, we would have equaled 36 percent of the entire vote," Painter said. "This year, more than ever, we must maximize the sportsmen's voice at the polls."

No wonder both the Bush and Kerry campaigns are targeting the hunting and fishing constituency.

President Bush, an avid bass fisherman and bird hunter, has held at least two major meetings with representatives of sportsmen's groups. The Kerry campaign emphasizes that their man is a longtime hunter, angler and target shooter.

Virtually every major sporting and conservation group has some type of get-out-the-vote effort under way. Some have taken sides. The National Rifle Association, for example, endorses Bush, while the Sierra Club is actively beating the drum for Kerry.

Meanwhile, the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation survey suggests that significant numbers of sportsmen are having difficulty deciding how they'll cast their vote - 30 percent of the licensed hunters and anglers in Ohio remain "undecided." That figure drops to 22 percent in Florida and 20 percent in New Mexico.

Oregon, of course, should have a higher turnout of sportsmen voters than any other state. Given our vote-by-mail system, we don't have to choose between voting and going fishing or hunting.

Mike Stahlberg can be reached at [e-mail].