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Statewide Wild Turkey Hunting Information
(The
following are excerpts from "Digest of Hunting & Trapping
Regulations 2002-2003", please check the
2003-04 Hunting Digest for any changes.)
WILD TURKEY HUNTING REGULATIONS
In addition to statewide regulations, the following regulations
apply to all wild turkey hunters:
Nonresident Requirements
Nonresident turkey hunters must purchase a
nonresident hunting license in addition to their valid turkey
permit and State Habitat Stamp. Nonresident hunters may purchase
either the annual license ($50.75) or the 5-day license ($28.75)
depending on the amount of time they will be hunting.
Turkey Bag Limit
It is unlawful to
take in Illinois, or have in pos-session, more than one wild
turkey per legally authorized permit.
Permit Applications
Everyone who applied for a spring or a fall shotgun wild turkey
permit last year will receive an application by mail for that
season. To receive application forms for a wild turkey hunting
permit, please contact your Illinois Department of Natural
Resources Regional Office or call the Permit Office at
217/782-7305. Many application forms can be
downloaded from the Department's web site.
Turkey Permit, Tagging and Transportation
Requirements
It is unlawful to:
• hunt wild turkey without first obtaining a permit from the
Department.
• hunt wild turkey unless the permit is signed and is in the
hunter's possession while hunting.
• leave a wild turkey that has been killed without properly
attaching the wild turkey permit around its leg.
• transport a wild turkey without first immediately attaching
the permit securely around the leg. 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.
• 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.
Harvest Reporting Requirements
Successful hunters must register their harvest by the designated
time on the same calendar day as the turkey was taken by calling
the toll-free telephone number provided with their turkey
hunting permit. See separate Spring and Fall Wild Turkey Hunting
Information sections for more specific requirements. 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. 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. The turkey must remain whole (or field dressed)
until it has been checked in.
Legal Shotgun
• It is unlawful to
use anything but a shotgun (20 gauge to 10 gauge only, no .410
or 28 gauge allowed) or bow and arrow to hunt wild turkey.
Note: You may not possess any other gun while turkey
hunting.
• No. 4 shot is the largest and No. 7 1/2 is the smallest size
shot that may be used.
Legal Archery Equipment
• The only legal bows are long, recurved or compound bows with a
minimum pull of 40 pounds at some point within a 28-inch draw.
• Minimum arrow length without the broadhead is 20 inches, and
broadheads must be used. Broadheads may have fixed or expandable
blades, but they must be barbless and have a minimum 7/8 inch
diameter when fully opened. Broadheads with fixed blades must be
metal or flint-, chert-, or obsidian-knapped; broadheads with
expandable blades must be metal.
• Any mechanical device capable of maintaining a drawn or
partially-drawn position on a bow is illegal.
• All other bows and arrows, including electronic arrow-tracking
systems, are illegal.
Live Decoys, Dogs, Recorded Calls and Bait
It is unlawful to use
live or electronic decoys,
dogs, recorded calls or bait to hunt wild turkey. An area is
considered baited during the presence of and for 10 consecutive
days following the removal of bait.
Note: Additional turkey hunting regulations are available
upon receipt of permit.
SPRING WILD TURKEY HUNTING SEASON
INFORMATION
Gobblers and Bearded Hens
It is unlawful to
take a wild turkey, except a gobbler (male) or a hen with a
visible beard.
Turkey Calling Prior to Season
It is unlawful to use
a turkey call that imitates sounds made by a turkey, or to
attempt to call a turkey by making these sounds, while in the
field in the Southern Zone from March 15 through the day before
turkey season, and in the Northern Zone from March 22 through
the day before turkey season. This prohibition only applies in
counties open to spring turkey hunting. Note: This does not
prohibit the use of locator calls that imitate other species
such as owls, crows, hawks, etc.
Shooting Turkeys in Trees
It is unlawful to
shoot a wild turkey while it is in a tree before 7 a.m.
Harvest Reporting
Turkeys harvested during the spring hunting season must be
checked in by 3:00 p.m. on the day of harvest.
Permit Limit
Three wild turkey hunting permits may be obtained for the spring
season, subject to availability.
Spring Permit Application Period
First Lottery - Residents: Applicants may
apply for one turkey hunting permit. Applications must be
received by December 2, 2002.
Second Lottery - Residents/Nonresidents:
Individuals who were rejected for a wild turkey permit during
the first lottery, who are applying for their first permit, or
who are nonresidents may apply for one permit. Applications must
be received by January 3, 2003. Eligible
Illinois residents have preference over nonresidents in this
lottery.
Third Lottery - Residents/Nonresidents: Anyone
with less than two permits may apply for one permit.
Applications must be received by February 10, 2003. Illinois residents have preference over
nonresidents in this lottery.
Random Daily Drawings -
Resident/Non-residents: Anyone with less than three permits may
apply for remaining permits to be allocated in random daily
drawings that begin March 10, 2003. Hunters are encouraged to
apply early, because drawings are conducted from the pool of
permits received each day.
SPRING YOUTH WILD TURKEY HUNTING SEASON
INFORMATION
During this season, youth 15 years of age or
younger accompanied by an adult may hunt. Application dates,
season dates, and open counties will be publicly announced.
FALL WILD TURKEY HUNTING SEASON INFORMATION
Shooting Turkeys in Trees
It is unlawful to
shoot a wild turkey with a gun while it is in a tree before 7
a.m. during the fall gun season.
Harvest Reporting
Turkeys harvested during the fall hunting season must be checked
in by 8:00 p.m. on the day of harvest.
Permit Limit
Two wild turkey hunting permits may be obtained for the fall
shotgun season, subject to availability.
Shotgun Permit Application Period
First Lottery - Residents: Applicants may
apply for one turkey hunting permit. Applications must be
received by July 1, 2002.
Second Lottery - Residents/Nonresidents:
Individuals who were rejected for a wild turkey permit during
the first lottery, who are applying for their first permit, or
who are nonresidents may apply for one permit. Applications must
be received by August 19, 2002. Eligible
Illinois residents have preference over nonresidents in this
lottery.
Random Daily Drawings -
Resident/Non-residents: Anyone with less than two permits may
apply for remaining permits to be allocated in random daily
drawings from Sept. 16 through Oct. 4, 2002. Hunters are
encouraged to apply early, because drawings are conducted from
the pool of permits received each day.
Archery Turkey Permits
Fall archery turkey permits will only be available
over-the-counter from license vendors. Two fall archery turkey
permits may be purchased per season.
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