Illinois hunters harvest 262 turkeys during 2023 fall firearm season

SPRINGFIELD - Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary statewide total of 262 wild turkeys during the 2023 fall firearm turkey season. The season dates were Oct. 21-29.

The 2023 total compares with the statewide turkey harvest of 267 in 2022. The record harvest was set in 2005 when 1,218 birds were harvested.

This year, 1,711 regular fall firearm season permits were sold compared to 1,727 last year. The highest permit sales total on record was in 2007 with 4,968 permits sold.

Fall turkey firearm was open in 56 of Illinois' 102 counties. The top counties for harvest this year were Jo Daviess, 23; Marion, 14; Williamson, 14; Franklin, 13; and Pope, 12. Preliminary data show 55% of the harvest were female birds and 48% were male.

The following information includes the preliminary 2023 county-by-county fall firearm turkey harvest results with comparable totals for 2022.

County                                 2023                       2022

Adams                                   2                              1

Alexander                             4                              4

Brown                                    2                              2

Calhoun                                 1                              2

Carroll                                    7                              4

Cass                                        5                              6

Clark                                       2                              8

Clay                                         9                            10

Crawford                               1                              0

Edwards                                 5                              5

Franklin                                13                           10

Fulton                                    4                              0

Gallatin                                  5                              4

Greene                                   2                              5

Hamilton                               3                              8

Hancock                                3                              1

Hardin                                   4                              0

Henderson                           2                              2

Jackson                                4                             12

Jasper                                   8                              5

Jefferson                              9                             10

Jersey                                   1                              0

Jo Daviess                           23                           19

Johnson                                7                            11

Knox                                      7                              7

Lawrence                             1                              2

Macoupin                            3                              2

Madison                              5                              1

Marion                                14                           12

Mason                                  0                              8

Massac                                 2                              1

McDonough                        3                              5

Menard                                0                              3

Mercer                                 2                              1

Monroe                                3                              2

Morgan                                1                              4

Perry                                     8                              1

Pike                                       1                              2

Pope                                    12                           10

Pulaski                                  1                              1

Randolph                             3                              5

Richland                               8                              5

Rock Island                          2                              2

Saline                                    1                              2

Schuyler                               1                              1

Scott                                      1                              3

Stephenson                          6                              4

Union                                    8                             10

Wabash                                0                              1

Warren                                 0                              1

Washington                         4                              3

Wayne                                 10                             5

White                                    4                              2

Whiteside                            3                              4

Williamson                         14                           15

Winnebago                         8                             13

Total                                    262                        267