 
*photo of the month! *note:"photo of the month" has no bearing on the member photo contest. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) announced the spring wild turkey private hunting properties seasons started last week in the southern portion of the state, or south zone.
The south zone includes counties like Bond, Fayette, Madison, Monroe and St. Clair.
Counties in the northern part of the state, or north zone, will kick off the season today.
Local counties in the north zone include Macoupin and Jersey.
The two turkey private hunting properties zones will have different dates.
Southern zone dates are: first season April 7 to April 11; second season April 12 to April 17; third season April 18 to April 23; fourth season April 24 to April 30; and fifth season May 1 to May 8.
Northern zone dates are: first season April 14 to April 18; second season April 19 to April 24; third season April 25 to April 30; fourth season May 1 to May 7; and fifth season May 8 to May 15.
During these days, turkey private hunting properties hours are set at one-half hour before sunrise until 1 p.m.
Illinois turkey private hunting properties permits are issued for a specific county or private hunting properties area and are valid only in the county or private hunting properties area designated on the permit.
The turkey limit is set at one male turkey (gobbler) or one hen with a visible beard per permit.
Moreover, individual hunters may take no more than three turkeys, and must have a valid permit for each turkey taken.
During 2006 spring seasons, hunters in Illinois harvested a record-setting 16,607 turkeys.
But last year hunters only harvested 14,767 wild turkeys.
And IDNR Forest Wildlife Program Manager Paul Shelton said turkey harvest numbers may decrease again in 2008.
Shelton said turkey brood surveys conducted last summer indicated poor reproduction, particularly in southern and west-central Illinois, so the number of takes this year will be down somewhat.
However, he said reproductive success was better during 2006, so the number of 2-year old birds should be good.
Shelton said 2 year olds birds contribute substantially to the amount of gobbling and tend to be not as elusive as older birds, so they are an important component of the harvest and should help boost season numbers.
During these seasons, some state parks, fish and wildlife areas and other IDNR-managed sites will be closed.
Hunters must obtain permission from the property owner or tenant to hunt on private property.
Turkey hunters must register their harvest by 3 p.m. on the same calendar day as the turkey is taken by going to the online check-in system at www.dnr.state.il.us/vcheck or by calling toll-free at 1-866-ILCHECK (1-866-452-4325).
To learn more about Illinois spring wild turkey private hunting properties seasons go to IDNR's Web site at www.dnr.state.il.us.
Hunting Sports Plus, Inc. your source for private hunting properties private hunting land | missouri hunting | whitetail deer hunting | turkey hunting | kansas deer hunting | mule deer | whitetail deer | illinois deer hunting | private deer hunting | private hunting lease | private hunting property | private hunting leases | private hunting properties | private whitetail deer hunting | private midwest hunting | private hunting nationwide | personal hunting ground | kansas turkey hunting | kansas mule deer hunts | kansas whitetail deer hunt | missouri big game hunting | private missouri deer hunts | sitemap PDF sitemap (c) Copyright 2010 |
