SPRINGFIELD — Illinois hunters harvested a record 20,821 wild turkeys during the 2026 spring turkey season, surpassing the previous record of 18,189 birds set in 2025. Hunters also purchased 94,704 permits this year, up from 89,580 last year. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources reported a record youth spring turkey harvest of 2,326 birds. In northern Illinois, Ogle County hunters harvested 273 turkeys, Lee County recorded 133, DeKalb County had 20, and Whiteside County totaled 196. Statewide, Jefferson and Jo Daviess counties led the state with 646 birds harvested each.
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