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Illinois hunters set new turkey harvest record for third straight year
Balance in the Illinois wild turkey population is now evident by the top two harvesting counties in what turned out to be a record-setting 2026 spring season.
Jefferson County and Jo Daviess County – counties located on opposite ends of the state – each had a harvest of 646 turkeys, meaning they tied for the top spot. DNR’s report on the season put the total harvest at 20,821, besting the previous record of 18,189 set last spring.

Project to boost mallard numbers in Great Lakes states hits Phase Two
Mallard hens outfitted with solar-powered GPS transmitters in Illinois and four other Great Lakes states

Feds finalize habitat protections for endangered rusty patched bumble bee
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is designating approximately 1.5 million acres of occupied critical

Illinois hunters set new turkey harvest record for third straight year
Balance in the Illinois wild turkey population is now evident by the top two harvesting counties in what turned out to be a record-setting 2026 spring season.
Jefferson County and Jo Daviess County – counties located on opposite ends of the state – each had a harvest of 646 turkeys, meaning they tied for the top spot. DNR’s report on the season put the total harvest at 20,821, besting the previous record of 18,189 set last spring.
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All About Hunting

Illinois hunters set new turkey harvest record for third straight year
Balance in the Illinois wild turkey population is now evident by the top two harvesting counties in what turned out

Which hunting rifle is best for you? Here’s how the various actions work
Most hunters know there are bolt-action rifles and lever-actions rifle and autoloading rifles. A few even remember pump action rifles

Project to boost mallard numbers in Great Lakes states hits Phase Two
Mallard hens outfitted with solar-powered GPS transmitters in Illinois and four other Great Lakes states were monitored over a three-year
Podcasts
All Illinois Articles

Dr. Rex Schulz of Illinois, Bob Spoerl of Wisconsin take on new leadership roles with Ducks Unlimited
In front of hundreds of Ducks Unlimited (DU) members and

Star Watch: Crater, the cup
Not one of the more well-known of the 48 constellations

The best exercise you can get your four-legged hunting partner won’t happen on land
Some dogs love the water, others don’t. The ones that

Gretchen Steele: Reviewing the new ‘Field Guide to Illinois Mammals’
There is something deeply satisfying about a field guide that

What’s for dinner, bobcat? A look at the dining habits of this elusive predator
Bobcats often feel almost familiar; like an animal we should

Widlife to benefit from NWTF, Illinois DNR tree distribution project
A new statewide habitat effort put thousands of wildlife-friendly trees
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Illinois Cuffs & Collars: Caught fishing a private lake without permission
Illinois cuffs and collars are field reports from Conservation Police




