By Jim Talamonti with the Illinois Radio Network
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources says hunters harvested a preliminary record total of 20,821 wild turkeys during the state’s spring turkey season, surpassing the previous record of 18,189 birds harvested in 2025.
The top counties during the 2026 season were Jefferson and Jo Daviess counties, each with 646 birds harvested.
Hunters bought 94,704 permits this year compared to 89,580 last year.
