USSFN: 12/16/03 - The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, in conjunction with state Dodge dealers, ran a contest for residents that purchased selected licenses with the grand prize being a new Dodge 4x4 to be given away December 11th of this year. Admittedly, I didn't read the fine print in the rules and regulations, but then again I wasn't eligible being a non-resident. It wasn't until I read an update on the contest that I found it to be a little strange.

In a October 27th press release, Deputy Administrator Al Tuck was quoted as saying "Anyone who purchases a 2003-04 Mississippi Sportsman License, or renews their current Sportsman License, on or before Nov. 30, 2003, will be eligible to win this beautiful truck."

They actually do this yearly now and at first glance it appears to be a nice giveaway.  The ad for this promotion is at: (http://www.mdwfp.com/dodgePromo/dodge.asp).  It sounded like it would be great for one lucky license holder. The truck was given away on Dec. 11, at 7:30 pm during a live broadcast of the "Mississippi Outdoors" television show on the Miss. Educational Television Network.

Now here's the fine print. If you win, you're subject to a background check to check for any MDWFP violations. In addition, and this is the part that I just found hilarious, you have to be a licensed driver AND have a clean driving record to win it! Can you imagine the poor license holder that might have been watching and not knowing this little fact, hearing his/her name called, and being denied the prize because of a speeding ticket or running a stop sign? Would this mean that he/she didn't need a new truck or didn't deserve it? Didn't they pay their fine? Would the truck be held in escrow until the violation(s) dropped off their license?

Now, what makes this even more controversial is the following; consider for a moment what the MDWFP would have done if the person, whose name was drawn, might have been physically challenged and dependent on someone else to drive them to their local fishing hole. First, should these non-drivers be denied winning a cash equivalent? Second, considering all that the federal government is doing to provide accessibility for handicapped sportsmen, this smells of discrimination against those very anglers. Imagine the fiasco this could have created!

In defense of the promoters, last year's winner, Blane Odom, is disabled but still loves to hunt and fish.  The nature and severity of his impairment is unknown, and it is not known if the rules were the same last year as this year.  Is he a licensed driver?  If not, would he have been denied the 4x4? 

Certainly in the future, the department can do better than just acting as advertising media for truck dealers. Provisions should be made for non-drivers as well.  A well thought out promotion is great, but let's open it up to everyone.  Paraphrasing a national program's saying, let's not count out the handicapped.  We'll wait and see if owning a Dodge truck is a prerequisite for obtaining a outdoors/sportsman's license in the future. ~ Jim