Illinois hunters bag record number of turkeys

Posted on May 28, 2024
The top five counties were Jo Daviess, 654; Jefferson, 472; Marion, 435; Pope, 397; and Randolph, 395. (WJBC File Photo)

By WMBD-TV

SPRINGFIELD – The 2024 Illinois spring turkey season netted a statewide record of 17,208 turkeys harvested, according to an Illinois Department of Natural Resources news release.

This is an increase from last year’s total of 16,123 turkeys and bests the previous record of 16,659 turkeys in 2006.

The top five counties were Jo Daviess, 654; Jefferson, 472; Marion, 435; Pope, 397; and Randolph, 395.

Local counties include Tazewell County bagging 85 turkeys and Woodford County with 83. Peoria County netted even more turkeys at 138, and McLean County had 83. Fulton County had the most in Central Illinois with 288 turkeys.

The full list can be found below:

County20242023
Adams318337
Alexander190194
Bond145154
Boone9674
Brown222248
Bureau197196
Calhoun246255
Carroll249214
Cass185230
Champaign3621
Christian5260
Clark270238
Clay295270
Clinton131110
Coles5740
Crawford238207
Cumberland7795
DeKalb147
DeWitt5447
Douglas1212
Edgar125115
Edwards9579
Effingham170129
Fayette345277
Ford1814
Franklin252227
Fulton288318
Gallatin-Hardin253296
Greene160160
Grundy6361
Hamilton336270
Hancock291286
Henderson153163
Henry132126
Iroquois8578
Jackson334282
Jasper199140
Jefferson472480
Jersey178209
Jo Daviess654596
Johnson260253
Kane44
Kankakee5957
Kendall1813
Knox235222
Lake2010
LaSalle110103
Lawrence180156
Lee110109
Livingston4732
Logan3530
Macon3131
Macoupin285312
Madison272236
Marion435339
Marshall-Putnam114125
Mason167155
Massac148126
McDonough94126
McHenry142111
McLean8372
Menard8973
Mercer237197
Monroe186163
Montgomery200145
Morgan136121
Moultrie3826
Ogle222208
Peoria138134
Perry297242
Piatt1112
Pike381420
Pope397382
Pulaski152140
Randolph395371
Richland143126
Rock Island195201
Saline159126
Sangamon100120
Schuyler212258
Scott7092
Shelby158157
St. Clair169158
Stark1816
Stephenson236222
Tazewell8576
Union316308
Vermilion154162
Wabash5355
Warren6447
Washington193164
Wayne371297
White220165
Whiteside165158
Will7670
Williamson360286
Winnebago193205
Woodford8383
Total17,20816,123

In 2024, hunters purchased 86,803 permits compared to 80,642 in 2023.

WMBD-TV can be reached at [email protected].

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