SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is looking for volunteer citizen scientists to assist with wild turkey brood surveys to aid biologists in monitoring turkey population trends and reproductive success.
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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.
Participants are asked to report young turkeys, adult females, and adult males with every observation, as well as the county and date of the observation during the months of June, July and August.
The best way to submit turkey sightings is through the department's electronic wild turkey survey online. The survey can be accessed on both personal computers and mobile devices through any internet browser or the Survey123 app. Participants who cannot use the electronic survey can have postcards mailed to them.
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.
These results provide encouraging signs for the health of Illinois' wild turkey population and underscore the importance of continuing this survey. For further information, email DNR.Turkey@illinois.gov.
About IDNR
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is celebrating 100 years of conservation and service to the people of Illinois throughout 2025. The department was established July 1, 1925, as the Illinois Department of Conservation, bringing under one umbrella oversight of fish and game, forestry, public works, and lakes.
Today, IDNR’s work encompasses management of about 400 sites across Illinois, including state parks and historic sites; wildlife, fisheries, forestry, and natural heritage; Lake Michigan water allocation and coastal management; conservation police; mines and minerals; oil and gas; issuance of licenses, permits, and numerous grants; the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta; and the Illinois State Museum. Visit https://dnr.illinois.gov for more information.
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