A few weeks ago I went to a gun show at the Ada County Fairgrounds and the central theme among my fellow gun nuts of the world was "you'd better buy now before Barack Obama takes the oath of office."

Despite Obama's repeated support for the 2nd Amendment, gun enthusiasts take as gospel that the new president has a secret plan to disarm the country. Now let's face it, if you are a gun dealer, the theme is a great way to drum up business.

The gun and hunting issue is so important that the Obama transition team included hunters and fishermen on its list of agenda items.

"Barack Obama did not grow up hunting and fishing, but he recognizes the great conservation legacy of America's hunters and anglers and has great respect for the passion that hunters and anglers have for their sports," the team said on its web page Change.org.

But when it comes to conservation and environmental issues, hunters and anglers are swing voters both parties need to get the majority support on issues like how to manage public lands. The Bush Administration's oil and gas develop policies in the West turned sporting groups against them and tipped the balance to Democrats across the region.

Groups like the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Trout Unlimited and Ducks Unlimited are hoping the face of the Obama administration is a sportsman. That's why the stock of California Rep. Mike Thompson appears to be rising for the Interior secretary post.

Thompson, an avid hunter and fisherman, has the support of sporting groups and also Rep. George Miller, a well-known supporter of environmental causes. He has some of the appeal that Idaho Gov. Cecil Andrus had when Jimmy Carter tapped him for Interior secretary in 1977.

Al Kamen reported in the Washington Post Thompson could land the job. Arizona Democrat Raul Grijalva, a fierce critic of the Bush administration, has strong support from the left, including from the liberal journal, The Nation. He also has support of Hispanic groups.

That seemed to put the son of migrant parents from Tucson in the lead after the economic and security teams leaned moderate-right. Obama's left needed some of its people on the cabinet, the reasoning went. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi supports Thompson, too, giving the wine-country congressman cover from the wine and cheese crowd.

Thompson earned his environmental stripes when he dumped 500 pounds of dead fish killed by low water in Oregon's Klamath River on the steps of the Interior Department. That's the river where Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne recently announced a deal that would remove four dams.

There is other talk that Kevin Gover, a Pawnee/Comanche who is director of the National Museum of the American Indian, may be under consideration as well.

We should know pretty soon. Interior, Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency appointments are up next.

Rocky Barker: 377-6484