Turkey hunting update: Illinois hunting

Illinois turkey hunters continue on a pace for a very good season.

Here is the latest harvest update from forest wildlife manager Paul Shelton, as forwarded by Illinois Department of Natural Resources communications director Chris Young:

Everyone, Here is an update on the spring turkey hunting season from Paul Shelton. South Zone: Through four seasons, South Zone turkey hunters have harvested 5,006 turkeys, compared to 4,732 during the same period in 2014. Twenty-two counties experienced increased harvest. Ten decreased and two remained the same. The top five counties are Jefferson (318), Pope (306), Marion (255), Union (240), and Randolph (225). North Zone: Through three seasons, North Zone turkey hunters have harvested 5,933 turkeys, compared to 4,952 during the same period in 2014. Forty-seven counties increased, 12 decreased, and seven remained the same. The top five counties are JoDaviess (449), Adams (284), Fulton (275), Pike (254), and Brown (240). Most significant harvest increases occurred in west-central Illinois. An Excel spreadsheet is attached. Paul Shelton, Manager Forest Wildlife Program IDNR

Here is the spreadsheet, if I can get it to fit the space with all the seasons:

North Zone preliminary harvest through 3 seasons2015 SeasonCounty1232015 Total2014 TotalAdams10811165284221Boone121893936Brown1167351240141Bureau40432210582Calhoun665542163155Carroll575228137163Cass736748188126Champaign584177Christian151563631Clark44343110981Coles12341922Cumberland1714124328DeKalb3341010DeWitt1313103625Douglas21033Edgar2220135550Ford13268Fulton11510060275232Greene425432128112Grundy141483619Hancock707349192177Henderson40402310395Henry1628166052Iroquois111673424Jersey605528143101JoDaviess187151111449442Kane00000Kankakee11452021Kendall2841415Knox724738157117Lake11130LaSalle3316227173Lee2721186641Livingston434119Logan61182520Macon7641712Macoupin977949225195Marshall181494131Mason50322510793McDonough3534279660McHenry157153736McLean101262828Menard3324187541Mercer463525106116Montgomery413434109110Morgan724944165104Moultrie6611313Ogle33403110481Peoria35433211082Piatt02355Pike9210062254219Putnam141083227Rock Island424336121114Sangamon2323186451Schuyler879052229139Scott1833106149Shelby2720136047Stark01122Stephenson605347160119Tazewell1517154744Vermilion3419237683Warren1516104147Whiteside37332191109Will1213103522Winnebago37412710588Woodford1514114046Total23432118147259334952South Zone preliminary harvest through 4 seasons2015 SEASONCounty12342015 Total2014 TotalAlexander41263623126115Bond30383427129107Clay32452623126155Clinton262115177963Crawford32293019110103Edwards252121158283Effingham262012228059Fayette54494525173152Franklin37403231140116Gallatin322616239797Hamilton43383339153161Hardin44362731138115Jackson72515244219258Jasper3231242110862Jefferson92827272318289Johnson63642650203190Lawrence322523199990Madison60605726203178Marion90704550255214Massac212923148764Monroe47312325126128Perry48543735174166Pope107706861306295Pulaski221517167094Randolph63644751225227Richland252416188383Saline2731202810686St. Clair352218189377Union78585153240232Wabash777194037Washington32281928107110Wayne63534957222220White252124188896Williamson63544044201210Total152613331085106250064732

Next Up In Outdoors

High hopes for Heidecke Lake fishing: Prospects look good for the season, despite a brutal opener

Chicago fishing, Midwest Fishing Report: Hoping on a warm-up, coho, smallmouth, browns, steelhead

A little help from friends on bagging first spring gobbler leads to Turkey of the Week

An old favorite of the Chicago River, the common carp, still have ‘Big Shoulders’ downtown

Chicago outdoors: Frog sounds question, inquisitive mink, early hummingbird, big Shabbona walleye

Rare wild turkey sightings along lakefront come to a tragic end