Illinois Youth Turkey Hunters Set New Harvest Record

Illinois youth turkey hunters harvested a preliminary total of 2,006 birds during the 2024 youth turkey season, breaking the previous harvest record of 1,733 set in 2020.

The dates for this year’s season were March 30 through March 31 and April 6 through April 7. A total of 6,001 youth turkey permits were issued this year, compared to 5,283 in 2023. In 2023, a total of 1,297 turkeys were taken.

Macoupin County recorded a total of 28 turkey's harvest during the 2023 youth turkey season and in 2024, Macoupin County almost doubled its total, coming out to 46 birds harvested during youth turkey se...