Word association is an interesting mental connection into the personality of the responding subject. A word is given and the respondent is to reply with the first term which pops into their mind.
Some psychologists believe the response reveals how people subconsciously group concepts, ideas and experiences. The theory is this linkage influences how individuals react to stimuli and then behave.
Marketing specialists have taken the notion one step further by attempting to associate their products with specific terms. Even without the Madison Avenue manipulation or pseudo- psychobabble, certain words generally elicit a specific response.
As an example, Thanksgiving is usually followed by turkey. Whether it is baked, roasted, smoked or fried this meaty fowl has long been associated with holidays in the U.S.
There was a time several generations back when this main dish was procured in the wild and processed under the nearest tree. In the good old day everyone enjoyed fresh, as opposed to frozen and shipped, turkey.
To this day the Eastern Wild Turkey is hunted in north Florida and much of the eastern United States. The bird’s range extends from north Florida to southern Canada.
This is the same turkey species Squanto of the Patuxet tribe used to help the Pilgrims survive their ineptitude and the wilderness perils of 1621. Thanksgiving was established with the turkey as the perennial centerpiece and the word association was established.
The Eastern Wild Turkey’s popularity almost proved to be its downfall. Pressure from hunting and habitat destruction reduced these turkeys to dangerously low numbers and the threat of extinction by the early 20th century.
Strenuous game management and hunting regulations eventually alleviated the annihilation menace of culinary overkill. The turkey once again became a holiday favorite and hunting objective, albeit not as ardently pursued by most.
Life in the 21st century has changed turkey hunting venues from the woods to the supermarket meat case. Domestic turkey production is concentrated, for the most part, in states known for producing large volumes of feed grains.
Curiously, the commercially produced domestic turkeys are not descendants of the Eastern Wild Turkey population in Florida’s woods. These gobblers and hens trace their lineage back to southern Mexico and the Aztec Empire.
Enterprising Spanish conquistadores took these birds back to Europe during the 16th century, along with the gold and silver. If the food supplies ran out or spoiled during the return voyage to Spain, turkey was served in the galley.
In the decades following, propagation of the domesticated turkeys reached France, Britain and other European countries and provinces. The tasty birds were a prized novelty on the estates of royalty and the landed gentry. The lucky aristocratic diners enjoyed both the plumage and culinary aspects of the turkey.
Ultimately, European turkey producers were successful enough to export the live birds to the North American colonies to feed those who did not have the time, skill or inclination to hunt the wily Eastern Wild Turkey.
The human population is not alone in its enjoyment of turkey as a main dish. Many native omnivores enjoy the turkey’s eggs and poults.
Wild turkey hens are often seen in groups with their young in tow. The alert mama’s stand guard as the juveniles forage for a suitable meal.
Larger carnivores will prey on adult turkeys, except for the mature males or toms which are equipped with several effective defensive tools. Sharp spurs on their legs (and the ability to effectively use them) often prove a deterrent for bobcats, coyotes and the like.
Eastern Wild Turkeys feed on the berries, acorns, seed and occasionally small reptiles. For turkey hunters taking a word association test, the term acorns often generates the term turkey hunting site.
The skills required to effectively take a gobbler are precise and unforgiving. With acute vision and the ability to see colors, wild turkeys quickly recognize threats.
Maybe the most economically efficient way to get a turkey dinner is to hunt at the supermarket.
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