SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Turkey hunters harvested a preliminary statewide total of 13,383 wild turkeys during the 2021 Illinois Spring Turkey Season. This year’s preliminary harvest total compares with the 2020 statewide turkey harvest of 15,831.
The statewide preliminary total includes the 2021 Youth Turkey Season harvest of 1,283 birds, which compares with the 2020 youth harvest of 1,733 turkeys (the record for youth season harvest). The statewide record total harvest for the spring turkey season was set in 2006 when 16,569 turkeys were harvested.
Spring turkey hunting was open in 100 of Illinois’ 102 counties. The 2021 season dates were April 5-May 6 in the South Zone and April 12-May 13 in the North Zone. The Youth Spring Turkey Season was March 27-28 and April 3-4 statewide.
The top five counties for spring wild turkey harvest in 2021 were Jefferson (421), Pike (353), Jo Daviess (352), Marion (332), and Wayne (298).
