JO DAVIESS COUNTY
Hunters shot 564 birds in Jo Daviess County in 2006. That is a drop from the year before and makes three years in row with a decline from the previous season. The percentage of hunter success has also fallen over the same five-year period from a high of 23.32 percent in 2002 to 17.97 percent last year. However, Jo Daviess is one of only three counties in the state that had a harvest of over 500 birds, therefore it still is a prime spot for spring turkey hunters.

PIKE COUNTY
The greatest number of toms killed in any county was 708 from Pike. The county also had a very nice success rate at 29.11 percent. Pike has been on an upswing for the past five seasons and now ranks at the very top for the number of birds. Turkey hunters here have been averaging over 600 birds each spring. Actual numbers put the harvest just under 600 for 2002 and 2003, but they have taken a major upward jump the past three years. All indications are good for this being another banner season.

ADAMS COUNTY
Our third county that had a harvest of over 500 birds is Adams. Hunters bagged 560 birds there in the spring of 2006. The county has actually yielded over 500 birds in four out of the last five spring seasons. The only bump in the span was in 2005 when hunters hit just under the mark with 483 birds taken. The previous three years yielded harvests of 502 birds in 2004, 508 in 2003 and 535 in 2002. The success rate has been really steady as well. Hunters averaged over 25 percent success at the start and conclusion of that five-year span. The middle three years were above 23 percent, which is still very good. A good population of birds and good harvests each year makes this county one of our best.

FULTON COUNTY
The tally says 444 turkeys were killed in Fulton County in the spring of 2006, with a success rate above 22 percent. Fulton County has seen an increase in the number of birds taken each spring for the past five years except for one, which declined only slightly. The success rate has also remained consistent throughout the same period. Success peaked in 2004 at 24.68 percent, but has remained above 22 percent each of those years.

MACOUPIN COUNTY
Another promising county is Macoupin, where hunters shot 468 turkeys last spring. The success rate was 25 percent even. Macoupin has been one of the most consistent counties in terms of kill figures. Hunters there have taken near or over 400 birds each of the last five seasons, and the success rate has hovered right around 24 to 25 percent each year.

CALHOUN COUNTY
Hunters busted the 400-bird total in Calhoun County as well. In fact, they took 410 spring turkeys. That was a big jump from 2005 when they shot 324 birds. The county had not seen a harvest above 400 since 2002 when it was 433 birds. Success jumped significantly last season as well. It was recorded at 24.66 percent in 2006 and 21 percent in 2005. The peak for the success rate was also in 2002 when hunters hit 26.26 percent. All of the last five years have been above 21 percent, which is very adequate.

Northwestern Illinois has also been providing some good turkey hunting opportunities each year. So has the south-central portion of the state. Another good area to target is along the Mississippi River corridor.