Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary statewide total of 262 wild turkeys during the 2023 fall firearm turkey season, a news release says. The season dates were Oct. 21-29.

The 2023 total compares with the statewide turkey harvest of 267 in 2022. The record harvest was set in 2005 when 1,218 birds were harvested.

(Getty Images)

This year, 1,711 regular fall firearm season permits were sold compared to 1,727 last year. The highest permit sales total on record was in 2007 with 4,968 permits sold.

Fall turkey firearm was open in 56 of Illinois’ 102 counties. The top counties for harvest this year were Jo Daviess, 23; Marion, 14; Williamson, 14; Franklin, 13; and Pope, 12. Preliminary data show 55% of the harvest were female birds and 48% were male.

These numbers for the Quad City region include the preliminary 2023 county-by-county fall firearm turkey harvest results compared to 2022 totals:

County                             2023                  2022

  • Carroll                                  7                              4
  • Henderson                            2                              2
  • Jackson                                4                             12
  • Jo Daviess                            23                           19
  • Knox                                      7                             7
  • McDonough                        3                              5
  • Mercer                                 2                              1
  • Rock Island                          2                              2
  • Whiteside                            3                              4