For Immediate Release – April 15, 2024
Illinois youth turkey hunters set new harvest record
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois youth turkey hunters harvested a preliminary total of 2,006 birds during the 2024 youth turkey season, breaking the previous harvest record of 1,733 set in 2020.
The dates for this year’s season were March 30-31 and April 6-7. A total of 6,001 youth turkey permits were issued this year, compared to 5,283 in 2023. In 2023, a total of 1,297 turkeys were taken.
The top five counties for harvest during this year’s youth season were Randolph, 71; Fayette, 66; Jefferson, 63; Marion, 62; and Pike, 54. A preliminary total of 160 wild turkeys, or 8% of this year’s harvest, were taken on public land.
The following table shows youth turkey season preliminary harvest figures by county with numbers from 2024 and 2023.
| County | 2024 | 2023 |
| ADAMS | 49 | 37 |
| ALEXANDER | 23 | 27 |
| BOND | 18 | 14 |
| BOONE | 4 | 2 |
| BROWN | 35 | 14 |
| BUREAU | 14 | 10 |
| CALHOUN | 26 | 22 |
| CARROLL | 8 | 5 |
| CASS | 19 | 17 |
| CHAMPAIGN | 3 | 3 |
| CHRISTIAN | 6 | 10 |
| CLARK | 32 | 14 |
| CLAY | 49 | 35 |
| CLINTON | 30 | 9 |
| COLES | 7 | 3 |
| CRAWFORD | 31 | 12 |
| CUMBERLAND | 15 | 13 |
| DEKALB | 1 | 0 |
| DEWITT | 2 | 2 |
| EDGAR | 8 | 8 |
| EDWARDS | 15 | 13 |
| EFFINGHAM | 34 | 10 |
| FAYETTE | 66 | 26 |
| FORD | 2 | 1 |
| FRANKLIN | 36 | 34 |
| FULTON | 24 | 14 |
| GALLATIN/HARDIN | 44 | 33 |
| GREENE | 29 | 13 |
| GRUNDY | 6 | 5 |
| HAMILTON | 46 | 36 |
| HANCOCK | 28 | 19 |
| HENDERSON | 13 | 9 |
| HENRY | 10 | 10 |
| IROQUOIS | 4 | 1 |
| JACKSON | 42 | 24 |
| JASPER | 42 | 11 |
| JEFFERSON | 63 | 52 |
| JERSEY | 25 | 15 |
| JO DAVIESS | 27 | 18 |
| JOHNSON | 27 | 23 |
| KANKAKEE | 4 | 2 |
| KENDALL | 0 | 0 |
| KNOX | 14 | 7 |
| LAKE | 0 | 1 |
| LASALLE | 1 | 0 |
| LAWRENCE | 9 | 8 |
| LEE | 8 | 12 |
| LIVINGSTON | 4 | 3 |
| LOGAN | 4 | 3 |
| MACON | 7 | 2 |
| MACOUPIN | 46 | 28 |
| MADISON | 35 | 21 |
| MARION | 62 | 46 |
| MARSHALL/PUTNAM | 11 | 11 |
| MASON | 15 | 10 |
| MASSAC | 22 | 15 |
| MCDONOUGH | 3 | 4 |
| MCHENRY | 11 | 5 |
| MCLEAN | 5 | 3 |
| MENARD | 14 | 8 |
| MERCER | 13 | 8 |
| MONROE | 25 | 6 |
| MONTGOMERY | 27 | 15 |
| MORGAN | 7 | 4 |
| MOULTRIE | 5 | 2 |
| OGLE | 18 | 13 |
| PEORIA | 12 | 7 |
| PERRY | 43 | 23 |
| PIATT | 2 | 2 |
| PIKE | 54 | 39 |
| POPE | 27 | 25 |
| PULASKI | 23 | 14 |
| RANDOLPH | 71 | 48 |
| RICHLAND | 16 | 11 |
| ROCK ISLAND | 9 | 11 |
| SALINE | 26 | 15 |
| SANGAMON | 13 | 5 |
| SCHUYLER | 22 | 19 |
| SCOTT | 8 | 2 |
| SHELBY | 23 | 17 |
| ST CLAIR | 38 | 26 |
| STARK | 1 | 1 |
| STEPHENSON | 18 | 16 |
| TAZEWELL | 10 | 2 |
| UNION | 33 | 26 |
| VERMILION | 17 | 5 |
| WABASH | 5 | 5 |
| WARREN | 5 | 0 |
| WASHINGTON | 20 | 11 |
| WAYNE | 41 | 24 |
| WHITE | 41 | 25 |
| WHITESIDE | 15 | 9 |
| WILL | 3 | 5 |
| WILLIAMSON | 46 | 18 |
| WINNEBAGO | 18 | 13 |
| WOODFORD | 13 | 12 |
| Total | 2,006 | 1,297 |
