Photo by John R. Ford

Illinois' 2004 fall turkey season set a new harvest record. This continued to speak volumes for the expanding health and dynamics of the Prairie State's turkey population.

A total of 2,148 birds were killed statewide last autumn, a whopping 25 percent above the previous fall harvest record of 1,712 set in 2000.

Also noteworthy was the contribution of bowhunters in the game of chasing Illinois turkeys. Last fall saw 675 birds dropped by archers compared to only 357 birds in 2003. Bowhunters have taken turkey hunting to the next level, and their success speaks well for their tenacity during the tough fall hunt.

"A lot of the success this fall, particularly during the gun season, will hinge on how recruitment goes," explained Paul Shelton, Illinois Department of Natural Resources forest wildlife manager. "Recruitment during the last two years has been below average, particularly during 2003. It was not as bad during 2004."

Weather plays an important role in recruitment success, which ultimately dictates how many vulnerable birds hunters can hang their tags on in the fall. Rain and cold during the spring season make chick survival more difficult, though the moisture is always needed. But things look promising coming into this fall's season.

Despite the fact that recent recruitment numbers have been below average, however, turkey populations continue to expand overall -- meaning more opportunities for tom chasers. This is evidenced by spring hunting seasons that have continued breaking previous harvest records. Indications are that this should be another banner fall for birds as well.

The harvest information available for producing these forecasts is also improving, and has allowed for more specific analysis of where and how turkeys are being taken. While changes in record-keeping and reporting complicate comparisons of historical data, in the long run this new information will make these reports much more valuable as a hunt planning tool.

In this year's report you will see that the improved data has allowed us to change our scoring factors to better highlight the two most important issues for hunters: general harvest potential and access to public lands.

Each of the following counties has both firearm and archery seasons, and they have been graded accordingly. Additionally, at the end of this article we have briefly mentioned those counties that provide archery-only seasons.

Whether going afield with gun or bow, there are a wealth of opportunities, locations and flocks at your disposal. This forecast should help you take best advantage of those closest to your home or favorite hunting area.

The counties listed below received one point for each of the following categories that applied to them:

1) If the county recorded a harvest in 2004 that exceeded the 2003 harvest, they received one point;

2) If the county's 2004 harvest exceeded their three-year average, they received one point;

3) If the county offers public-land access for bowhunters, they received one point;

4) If the county offers public-land access for firearms hunters, they received one point;

5) If the county offers a special accommodation/season for disabled turkey hunters (either gun or bow), they received one point.

Five points is the highest possible score.

ADAMS -- 4
Last fall was Adams County's best performance since 1999. A total of 50 gun hunters bagged birds and 19 archers added to the take for a total of 69 turkeys. The three-year average fall harvest is a fraction over 56 birds.

ALEXANDER -- 3
Stability is the name of the game, with a three-year average of 12.33 birds and a take of 13 last season. Of those, archers bagged seven. Public access is available for both archers and firearms hunters.