Gov. John Hoeven ended up chasing a turkey during a pre-Thanksgiving presentation, as the bird strutted and flapped its wings on his conference room table.

Mabel the turkey even relieved herself - after she walked beyond some newspapers that had been spread on the table as a precaution.

Each year, the North Dakota Turkey Federation donates frozen turkeys to North Dakota's governor and agriculture commissioner, who then give them to charities. Hoeven and Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson attended Wednesday's ceremony.

Two Bismarck organizations, the Abused Adult Resource Center and the Ruth Meiers Hospitality House, were given the frozen turkeys this year. The Ruth Meiers House, named for a former North Dakota lieutenant governor, is a homeless shelter.

This year, at Hoeven's request, the presenters also brought live turkeys to display, which were carried into the governor's state Capitol conference room in a large pet carrier. Mabel was plopped on the room's large wooden table.

At first, the bird, which was 10 months old and weighed about 27 pounds, craned her neck and glanced about the room, which was crowded with reporters and spectators. Then she started walking the length of the table, flapping her wings when Hoeven attempted to turn the bird around.

"Is Mabel cool if I pick her up?" Hoeven asked. "C'mon, Mabel."

"Just leave her be," Johnson advised, as the bird flapped its wings.

Mabel was raised in Rugby, in central North Dakota. Her keeper, Wyatt Wittenburg, 8, said the bird is a pet and will not be slaughtered.

"Last year, we said to Wyatt, 'Why don't you bring in a live turkey?' … and he's a good man," Hoeven said. "This year, he brought in Mabel."