Turkey Hunting Regulations

Hunting Hunting Areas

Hunting Credentials and Requirements

To hunt turkey, residents and non-residents will need:

• a valid hunting license
• a state habitat stamp
• at least one valid turkey permit.
• See above turkey hunting maps for associated spring and fall zones.
• Exemptions to these requirements are specified in table. For residency qualification, see Resident definition on page 5.

You cannot legally:

• hunt wild turkey without first obtaining an IDNR permit.
• hunt wild turkey unless the permit is signed and is in the hunter’s possession while hunting.
• harvest in Illinois, or have in possession, more than one wild turkey per legally authorized permit.
• leave in the field or transport a wild turkey without first immediately attaching the leg tag securely around the leg as instructed on the permit. Note: Leg tag must be affixed to the wild turkey immediately upon kill. The leg tag must remain attached to the leg of the turkey until it is at the legal residence of the person who legally took or possessed the turkey and the turkey has been checked in.
• butcher a turkey until it has been checked in.
• possess, while in the field during wild turkey seasons, any wild turkey permit issued to another person.
• hunt wild turkey in a county or area other than specified on the permit.

Firearm and Archery Equipment Regulations

• The only firearm that can be used to hunt wild turkey is a shotgun (20 gauge to 10 gauge only, no .410 or 28 gauge allowed). You may not possessany other type of firearm for the purpose of hunting wild turkey unless in accordance with the Firearm Concealed Carry Act.
• No. 4 shot is the largest shot that may be used while hunting turkey with a shotgun.
• Legal vertical bow types are long, recurved or compound bows with a minimum pull of 30 pounds at some point within a 28-inch draw. Minimumarrow length for all vertical bow types is 20 inches (not including point).
• To use a crossbow it must have a minimum draw weight of 125 pounds; minimum overall length of 24 inches; a working safety; and used withfletched bolts or arrows of not less than 14 inches (not including point).
• Broadheads must be used for archery turkey hunting. Broadheads may have fixed (must be metal or flint-, chert or obsidian-knapped) orexpandable (must be metal) cutting surfaces, but they must have a minimum 7/8 inch diameter when fully opened.
• All other bows and arrows, including electronic arrow-tracking systems utilizing radio-telemetry, are illegal
• Hunters can legally carry a shotgun and bow and arrow during spring season.
• Hunters cannot legally have any firearm in possession while hunting turkey with any type of bow and arrow during fall season (see page 7 on concealed carry handguns).

Decoys and Other Attractants

You cannot legally:

• use live or electronic decoys, dogs or recorded calls.
  
• possess or use any net or trap for harvesting turkeys.
• harvest wild turkeys by the use or aid of bait or baiting of any kind. “Bait” means any material, whether liquid or solid, including food, salt, mineralsand other products that can be ingested, placed or scattered in such a manner as to attract or lure wild turkeys. “Baiting” means the placement orscattering of bait to attract wild turkeys. An area is considered as baited during the presence of and for 10 consecutive days following the removal of the bait.

For the purposes of taking wild turkeys, nothing in this Section shall be construed to prevent the manipulation, including mowing or cutting, ofstanding crops as a normal agricultural or soil stabilization practice, food plots, or normal agricultural practices, including planting, harvesting,and maintenance such as cultivating.

Mandatory Turkey Harvest Reporting

Successful hunters must register their harvest by 10 pm on the same calendar day the turkey was harvested by calling toll-free 1-866-452-4325 (1-866-ILCHECK) or by accessing the online check-in system at www.exploremoreil.com. Hunters must provide all information requested by the telephone check-in system and will be provided with a confirmation number to verify that they checked in their harvest. The confirmation number must be written by the hunter onto the leg tag.

Turkey Permit Process

• Apply online at www.exploremoreil.com or with a hardcopy application. To receive hardcopy applications for a wild turkey hunting permit, contact the Springfield Permit Office at (217) 782-7305. See sections on the permit application process for spring and fall hereafter.
• Applicants please allow approximately 4 weeks after the respective application deadline dates for Lottery Drawing results.

Season Specific Regulations

• During all season it is unlawful to leave in the field or transport a wild turkey without first immediately attaching the leg tag securely around the leg as instructed on the permit. Leg tag must remain attached to the leg of the turkey until it is at the legal residence of the person who legally took or possessed the turkey and the turkey has been checked in
• During all seasons it is unlawful to field dress or butcher a turkey until it has been checked in. All harvested turkeys must be registered by 10 pm on the same calendar dayof harvest by calling 1-866-452-4325 or online
• Be sure to check regulations for the IDNR site(s) you intend to hunt, as some sites have more restrictive regulations on equipment, harvest reporting, etc. You can find site-specific regulations using the Directory or Hunt Planner
• Full details on turkey hunting can be found in the Statewide Hunting Regulations

Spring

• Can use:
  • Shotguns
    • Must be within range of 20 to 10 gauge only, no .410 or 28 gauge allowed
    • No. 4 shot is the largest size shot that may be used
    • Barrel length shall not be less than 18 inches, and the overall length shall not be less than 26 inches
    • Shotgun cannot be capable of holding more than 3 shells in the magazine and chamber combined. Any shotgun having a capacity of more than 3 shells must be fitted with a one-piece plug that is irremovable without dismantling the shotgun or otherwise altered to render it incapable of holding more than 3 shells in the magazine and chamber combined
    • You may not possess any other gun while turkey hunting, but see rules on Concealed Carry in firearms section here
  • Vertical compound bow or traditional bows (recurve or longbow)
    • Minimum pull of 30 pounds at some point within a 28-inch draw
    • Arrows must be at least 20 inches long (not including point)
  • Crossbows
    • Minimum peak draw weight of 125 pounds
    • Minimum length (from butt of stock to front of limbs) of 24 inches
    • Has a working safety
    • Fletched bolts or arrows must be at least 14 inches long (not including point)
  • Points (all bows)
    • Broadheads must have fixed or expandable cutting surfaces and a minimum ⅞ inch in diameter when fully opened
    • Broadheads with fixed cutting surfaces must be metal or flint-, chert- or obsidian-knapped; broadheads with expandable cutting surfaces must be metal
• Clothing requirements: None. But wearing a blaze orange/pink hat when walking to and from hunting location is recommended for safety
• See map below for counties open to Spring hunting. Permits are specific to the county and/or Special Hunt Area (SHA) and dates indicated on permit
• Download Spring Wild Turkey Hunting Information Sheet

Youth Spring

• See map above for counties open to Spring Youth hunting. Permits are specific to the county and/or Special Hunt Area (SHA) and dates indicated on permit
• Can use: same equipment regulations as Spring Season above
• Clothing requirements: None. But wearing a blaze orange/pink hat when walking to and from hunting location is recommended for safety
• Supervision: each youth hunter must be accompanied by a non-hunting adult that is in immediate control of the youth hunter at all times during the hunt. The adult must have a current Illinois hunting license if a non-resident or if the youth is using an Apprentice or Youth hunting license
• Download Spring Youth Wild Turkey Hunting Permit Information Sheet

Fall Shotgun

• Can use:
  • Shotguns
    • Must be within range of 20 to 10 gauge only, no .410 or 28 gauge allowed
    • No. 4 shot is the largest size shot that may be used
    • Barrel length shall not be less than 18 inches, and the overall length shall not be less than 26 inches
    • Shotgun cannot be capable of holding more than 3 shells in the magazine and chamber combined. Any shotgun having a capacity of more than 3 shells must be fitted with a one-piece plug that is irremovable without dismantling the shotgun or otherwise altered to render it incapable of holding more than 3 shells in the magazine and chamber combined
    • You may not possess any other gun while turkey hunting, but see rules on Concealed Carry in firearms section here
• Clothing requirements: None. But wearing a blaze orange/pink hat when walking to and from hunting location is recommended for safety
• See map below for counties open to Fall Gun hunting. Permits are specific to the county and/or Special Hunt Area (SHA) and dates indicated on permit
• Download Fall Turkey Hunting Information Sheet

Fall Archery

• Hunting is permitted in all 102 counties and permits are valid statewide
• Season closed during firearm deer season in counties open to firearm deer hunting
• Can use:
  • Vertical compound bow or traditional bows (recurve or longbow)
    • Minimum pull of 30 pounds at some point within a 28-inch draw
    • Arrows must be at least 20 inches long (not including point)
  • Crossbows
    • Minimum peak draw weight of 125 pounds
    • Minimum length (from butt of stock to front of limbs) of 24 inches
    • Has a working safety
    • Fletched bolts or arrows must be at least 14 inches long (not including point)
  • Points (all bows)
    • Broadheads must have fixed or expandable cutting surfaces and a minimum ⅞ inch in diameter when fully opened
    • Broadheads with fixed cutting surfaces must be metal or flint-, chert- or obsidian-knapped; broadheads with expandable cutting surfaces must be metal
• Clothing requirements: None
• Download Fall Turkey Hunting Information Sheet

• Pertinent Administrative Rules: 510, 685, 710, 715, 720