2019-2020 Wild Turkey and Squirrel Hunting Forecast

Fall Gun Wild Turkey

The Fall Gun Wild Turkey season continues to be more underutilized each year, with only 320 birds being harvested during the 2018 season and 1,444 permits being issued. For comparison, the record harvest was in 2005 when 1,218 birds were harvested and a record 4,968 permits were allocated in 2007.

Those grabbing their shotgun to pursue wild turkeys this fall will likely have ample opportunity to bag a bird, however. Reproductive indices rose considerably last summer, indicating a good hatch. The number of jakes in the spring harvest also spiked, furthering that assumption. From a statewide perspective at least, populations seem to be higher than the previous two years. Another bonus to fall gun hunters is the opportunity to purchase permits over-the-counter (OTC). Similar to the spring season, any county permits remaining after the lottery periods will be available to purchase from vendors. Hopefully, more opportunistic turkey hunters will take advantage of this new opportunity to grab a last-minute tag, or two, this fall.

Fall Archery Wild Turkey

As was mentioned in the Fall Gun Season forecast above, Illinois turkeys had an increase in reproductive success during the summer of 2018, which should translate to more mature turkeys in the woods this fall compared to the last two years. The jury is still out on this year’s production in response to widespread flooding. Last year’s statewide fall archery harvest total was 738, which was a slight increase from the previous year (688), but down from the 2015 record (851). Permits are available OTC and don’t forget Illinois now allows the use of crossbows for the entire archery season. Public land archery hunters will have more opportunity as well with nine new state sites added to the season for 2019: Fox Ridge State Park (SP), Hidden Springs SP, Kankakee River SP, Lincoln Trail SP, Lowden SP, Maytown Pheasant Habitat Area, Sparks Pond Land and Water Reserve, Walnut Point SP and White Springs SP.

Spring Wild Turkey

The 2019 Spring Turkey Season closed with a dramatic increase in total harvest. This was predicted to large degree because of the upswing in production last summer. After rains early in the season, we largely had favorable weather throughout the state as well. For spring 2020, turkey hunters should expect see and hear more 2-year-old birds as a remnant of the 2018 hatch. Only time will tell how this year’s production will fare. The constant deluge during late spring and early summer certainly did nesting hens no favors. Many areas will be relying heavily on second and third nesting attempts to add to the local population.

For the 2020 season, IDNR has added two Special Hunt Areas (SHA) for the regular season (Paul C. Burrus State Habitat Area and Vesely Land and Water Reserve) and one for the Youth Season (Heidecke State Fish and Wildlife Area, Jugtown Unit).

Squirrel

The season on Illinois’ most accessible game mammal is nearly upon us. Squirrel season opens statewide on August 1^st and runs through February 15^th. The total Illinois squirrel harvest has decreased significantly since its heyday in the late 1950s, when more than 250,000 hunters bagged around 3 million squirrels annually. Today, Illinois squirrel hunters typically harvest just shy of a half million squirrels each year. This is not an indication of fewer squirrels on the landscape, but rather, fewer squirrel hunters afield. Hunter numbers are decreasing across the board, and a smaller percentage of those who persist hunt small game.

To the intrepid squirrel hunter, these declines may provide opportunity in the squirrel woods. Fewer squirrel hunters around could lead to more prospective openings in squirrel hunting spots. Even on properties where landowners already allow deer hunting, squirrel hunters can take advantage of the full two months of the season leading up to the archery deer opener. And while the deer season closes on January 19^th, squirrel season continues until February 15^th. Most squirrels will be harvested on private land every year, but opportunities to pursue them on public lands abound. Squirrel hunting has been newly added to at least one Illinois public hunting site in each of the last five consecutive years. Even more sites have had their squirrel seasons expanded to accommodate more days and more hunting devices.

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Luke Garver is the Wild Turkey Project Manager with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife Resources.