Turkey harvest down nearly 1/4: Both youth seasons in Illinois

A brief summary of the 2018 Illinois Youth Spring Turkey Season from the IDNR Division of Wildlife Resources: Youth turkey hunters harvested a preliminary total of 1,156 birds during the 2018 Illinois Youth Turkey Season. In 2017, a total of 1,531 turkeys were taken, marking a record harvest. Weather undoubtedly was a factor in this year’s decline in harvest as youth hunters experienced unseasonably cold temperatures throughout the four-day season. The dates for this year’s season were March 31-April 1 and April 7-8. This was the second year two youth turkey hunting weekends were open for the entire state. Previously, there was one weekend dedicated for the north zone and one for the south. This year, a total of 5,274 youth turkey permits were issued, including 106 permits for special hunt areas. In 2017, 5,601 permits were issued, including 106 for special hunt areas. The top 5 counties for harvest during this year’s youth season were Randolph (43), Jo Daviess (34), Adams (33), Fayette (33), and Jefferson (33).