27 wild turkeys hunted in Chicago collar counties during state’s 3rd highest season

Hunters in Illinois tallied a statewide total of 801 wild turkeys during the 2022-23 fall archery turkey season with 27 of the turkeys harvested in Lake, McHenry and Will counties.

The total is the third highest on record for the season in Illinois, according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The season ran Oct. 1 and Jan. 15.

Thirteen of the turkeys were hunted in Will County this past season, up from 12 the previous season. In McHenry County, the number of turkeys harvested also rose one from the previous season, hitting eight this season, but Lake County saw the largest increase, going from one last season to six.

The top five counties for fall archery wild turkey hunting this season were Vermilion with 27 turkeys harvested; Ogle, 24; Clay, 22; Marion, 21; and Randolph, 21.

This season, 25,373 permits were sold (excluding landowner permits), compared to 24,768 for the 2021-22 season. All 102 counties were open for hunting. The harvest consisted of 48% males and 52% hens.

No turkeys were harvested in Kane, DuPage or Cook counties.