Illinois e-News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Media contact: [email protected]



Illinois spring turkey hunters harvest record number of wild turkeys

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois turkey hunters harvested a preliminary record total of 18,189 wild turkeys during the 2025 spring turkey season. This year’s total compares with the previous record total of 17,208 turkeys harvested in 2024. 

The top five counties for harvest in 2025 were Jo Daviess, 628; Jefferson, 518; Pike, 468; Marion, 428; and Pope, 425.

The 2025 total includes the record youth spring turkey season harvest of 2,099 birds, which compares with the previous record of 2,010 birds set in 2024.

This year 89,687 permits were sold compared to 86,083 last year.

Spring turkey hunting was open in 100 of Illinois’ 102 counties. The 2025 regular season dates were April 7 through May 8 in the south zone and April 14 through May 15 in the north zone. The 2025 youth spring turkey season was March 29-30 and April 5-6 statewide.


County

2025

2024

Adams

350

324

Alexander

183

189

Bond

176

145

Boone

72

94

Brown

276

222

Bureau

195

195

Calhoun

249

243

Carroll

220

249

Cass

198

183

Champaign

43

37

Christian

68

52

Clark

241

267

Clay

293

295

Clinton

160

133

Coles

60

57

Crawford

242

240

Cumberland

108

78

DeKalb

18

13

DeWitt

48

56

Douglas

15

12

Edgar

119

125

Edwards

105

94

Effingham

190

171

Fayette

386

349

Ford

27

18

Franklin

246

253

Fulton

304

287

Gallatin-Hardin

275

257

Greene

176

165

Grundy

73

63

Hamilton

316

336

Hancock

329

290

Henderson

143

153

Henry

153

131

Iroquois

95

84

Jackson

342

334

Jasper

208

200

Jefferson

518

472

Jersey

216

180

Jo Daviess

628

652

Johnson

296

260

Kane

4

5

Kankakee

59

60

Kendall

17

18

Knox

197

234

Lake

16

20

La Salle

111

111

Lawrence

175

182

Lee

113

112

Livingston

42

46

Logan

52

35

Macon

29

30

Macoupin

350

283

Madison

297

274

Marion

428

427

Marshall-Putnam

145

114

Mason

179

167

Massac

141

147

McDonough

114

93

McHenry

147

142

McLean

62

81

Menard

94

90

Mercer

236

237

Monroe

183

184

Montgomery

216

195

Morgan

134

136

Moultrie

36

38

Ogle

275

223

Peoria

178

138

Perry

311

301

Piatt

16

10

Pike

468

381

Pope

425

397

Pulaski

155

153

Randolph

369

392

Richland

158

144

Rock Island

218

196

Saline

178

158

Sangamon

127

98

Schuyler

233

217

Scott

74

70

Shelby

177

158

St. Clair

158

167

Stark

25

18

Stephenson

228

237

Tazewell

78

86

Union

303

317

Vermilion

135

155

Wabash

59

51

Warren

79

64

Washington

220

190

Wayne

404

370

White

190

219

Whiteside

212

167

Will

72

75

Williamson

386

360

Winnebago

245

194

Woodford

96

83

Total

18,189

17,208


About IDNR
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is celebrating 100 years of conservation and service to the people of Illinois throughout 2025. The department was established July 1, 1925, as the Illinois Department of Conservation, bringing under one umbrella oversight of fish and game, forestry, public works, and lakes.

Today, IDNR’s work encompasses management of about 400 sites across Illinois, including state parks and historic sites; wildlife, fisheries, forestry, and natural heritage; Lake Michigan water allocation and coastal management; conservation police; mines and minerals; oil and gas; issuance of licenses, permits, and numerous grants; the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta; and the Illinois State Museum. Visit https://dnr.illinois.gov for more information.


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