Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary statewide total of 740 wild turkeys during the 2019-2020 Fall Archery Turkey Season. The total compares with the statewide turkey harvest of 738 in 2018-2019.
For the 2019-20 season, 22,728 permits were sold, excluding landowner permits, compared to 23,298 for the 2018-2019 season. The season dates were Oct. 1, 2019 – Jan. 19, 2020, and all 102 counties were open for hunting. The top counties for fall archery wild turkey harvest were Jefferson (25), Knox (23), Cass (20), Jackson (18), and Randolph (18).
Permit applications for the third lottery for 2020 Illinois Spring Wild Turkey Season are due Feb. 10. Hunters wishing to apply should visit the IDNR website for more information.
Beginning March 1, 2020 Illinois Hunting, Fishing and Sportsman Combination licenses will go on sale, and will be valid through March 31, 2021. Illinois 2019 licenses are valid through March 31, 2020.
Licenses purchased prior to March 1, 2020 are 2019 licenses that will be valid only through March 31, 2020.