Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary statewide total of 882 wild turkeys during the 2025-2026 fall archery turkey season, according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

The total compares with last year’s record harvest of 1,045 birds and the five-year average of 824 birds harvested.

This season 26,787 permits were sold, excluding landowner permits, compared with 27,422 permits sold during the 2024-2025 season. The fall archery turkey season dates were Oct. 1, 2025, through Jan. 18, 2026, and all 102 counties in Illinois were open for hunting.

Harvest reports were 60% male birds and 40% female birds, compared with 51% males and 49% females reported during the previous season. A total of 67% of hunters used crossbows, 33% used compound bows, and less than one percent used traditional bows.

In Carroll County, eight turkeys were harvested in 2025-2026 after 12 were harvested in 2024-2025.

In DeKalb County, two turkeys were harvested in 2025-2026 after three were harvested in 2024-2025.

In Lee County, nine turkeys were harvested in 2025-2026 after 22 were harvested in 2024-2025.

In Ogle County, six turkeys were harvested in 2025-2026 after 17 were harvested in 2024-2025.

In Stephenson County, six turkeys were harvested in 2025-2026 after 20 were harvested in 2024-2025.

In Whiteside County, 10 turkeys were harvested in 2025-2026 after 18 were harvested in 2024-2025.

In Winnebago County, 11 turkeys were harvested in 2025-2026 after 17 were harvested in 2024-2025.