Fewer turkeys hunted this spring in Bureau, Putnam, Marshall and Livingston counties

Turkey hunters hunted a preliminary statewide total of 13,383 wild turkeys during the 2021 Illinois spring turkey season. This year’s preliminary total is fewer than the 2020 statewide turkey numbers of 15,831.

In La Salle County, eight more turkeys were hunted in 2021, going from 102 in 2020 to 110 this spring. In Bureau County, the turkey hunting totals were down from 170 in 2020 to 149 this spring. Marshall/Putnam counties also were down from 127 turkeys in 2020 to 104 this spring.

Livingston County hunting totals were down eight in 2021, from 40 in 2020 to 32 this spring.

The statewide preliminary total includes the 2021 youth turkey season hunt of 1,283 birds, which compares with the 2020 youth hunt of 1,733 turkeys (the record for youth season harvest). The statewide record total hunt for the spring turkey season was set in 2006 when 16,569 turkeys were taken.

Spring turkey hunting was open in 100 of Illinois’ 102 counties, including La Salle, Bureau, Putnam, Marshall and Livingston counties.

The 2021 season dates were April 5-May 6 in the south zone and April 12-May 13 in the north zone. The youth spring turkey season was March 27-28 and April 3-4 statewide.

The top five counties for spring wild turkey hunting totals in 2021 were Jefferson (421), Pike (353), Jo Daviess (352), Marion (332), and Wayne (298).