Shout, Trout, Let It All Out

Western Hunters and Anglers Oppose Energy Bill

A group of outdoor enthusiasts descended on Washington, D.C., Wednesday to lobby against attempts by Republicans to revive the omnibus energy bill, defeated in the Senate last year. They object to provisions in the bill that would drastically increase oil and gas development on prime hunting and fishing land in Western states. Many of the Stetson-sporting hunters and anglers, organized by the nonprofit fish-preservation group Trout Unlimited, are lifelong Republicans. However, many share sentiments about the land expressed by Ryan Busse, a Kalispell, Mont., resident and self-described hard-core conservative: "Anybody who wants to take that away and loosen the protections of such a pristine country is an enemy of me and every hunter and fisherman I know." Journalists raced to create a clever name for this new group of potential swing voters, in the tradition of "soccer moms" and "NASCAR dads." Grist suggests "outdoor uncles." We know, it needs work.