Illinois want you to report wild turkey sightings for conservation help

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) — The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is asking for citizens to help with a wild turkey survey.

“Summertime is when young turkeys are hatching, and by counting them and adult females, biologists can assess trends in reproductive success and survival of young turkeys. Biologists also count male turkeys to estimate total wild turkey abundance, male-to-female ratios, and adult survival,” the IDNR wrote.

The agency asks residents to submit turkey sightings through the department’s wild turkey survey site.

Those who cannot participate online can have postcards mailed to them, IDNR said.

IDNR has been able to track meaningful trends in Illinois’ wild turkey population. Observations over the past five years include:

• Increased reproductive success with poults per hen (PPH) rising from 1.62 in 2019 to over 3.0 in 2023 and 2024.
• Improved poult survival with poults per brood (PPB) climbing from 3.69 to 4.23 during the same period.
• Higher nesting success with hens observed with broods increasing from 53% in 2019-2020, to over 75% in 2023-2024.
• The male-to-female ratio hovered around 0.46 to 0.48, suggesting consistent male carryover from spring hunting seasons and stable winter survival.