Natalie Phelps Finnie Director of Illinois Department of Natural Resources | Official Website
Natalie Phelps Finnie Director of Illinois Department of Natural Resources | Official Website
Hunters in Illinois successfully harvested 803 wild turkeys during the 2023-2024 fall archery turkey season. This figure slightly surpasses last year's total of 801 and exceeds the five-year average of 750 birds. The hunting season ran from October 1, 2023, to January 14, 2024, across all 102 counties in the state.
A total of 25,741 permits were sold for this season, an increase from the previous year's count of 25,373 permits. Harvest reports indicate that male turkeys accounted for 54% of the harvest, while female turkeys made up the remaining 46%. In contrast, last year saw a higher percentage of hens at 52%.
The data shows a preference among hunters for crossbows, with 63% using them compared to compound bows (36%) and traditional bows (1%).
The top five counties for turkey harvests were Jefferson with 31 birds, followed by Fayette and Jo Daviess each with 23 birds. Williamson County reported a harvest of 18 turkeys and Ogle County had a total of 17.
For more detailed information on turkey hunting in Illinois or to view county-by-county results from both this season and last year’s, interested parties are encouraged to access online resources.
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