The campaign of Republican presidential candidate and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee got a boost recently from Outdoor Life. The hunting and fishing magazine with more than 5 million readers named Huckabee one of the 25 "most positively influential people in hunting and fishing." He was the only presidential candidate who made the list, which also includes Ted "Motor City Madman" Nugent and the Cabela brothers of the eponymous outdoor retail empire.

The magazine praised Huckabee for his efforts after becoming governor of Arkansas to pass Amendment 75 -- also known as "The Conservation Amendment" -- designating a portion of the state's general sales tax for the Arkansas Fish and Game Commission. Huckabee and his wife, Janet, traveled down the Arkansas River in their bass boat to draw attention to the proposal, which soon after became law. The amendment sends about $26 million each year to the Game Commission, which has used the money to build nature centers. The magazine also praises Huckabee for improving public access for hunters and angler, and for launching programs to promote fishing among children.

This isn't the first outdoorsman honor for Huckabee. In 1997, the American Sportfishing Association named him its Man of the Year, and in 2005 a small recreational lake in Hope, Ark. was renamed the Mike and Janet Huckabee Lake.

Also adding to Huckabee's conservationist cred of late is a Salon article that details his plan for energy independence, which is inspired by his Christian belief that he has a biblical responsibility to protect the planet from climate change. Unfortunately, Huckabee has fallen for the myth of "clean" coal, when in fact coal is the dirtiest fuel there is and any technological attempts to clean it up only end up moving its inherent filth -- including heavy metals and radionuclides -- from one waste stream to another.

(Photo of Huckabee with Danny and Zoe Caywood from the Web site of Caywood Gunmakers of Berryville, Ark.)