OUTDOORS: Turkey harvest gets past last year's total
Jun. 4—Turkey hunters harvested a preliminary statewide total of 13,701 wild turkeys during the 2022 Illinois Spring Turkey Season. This year's preliminary harvest total compares with the 2021 statewide turkey harvest of 13,613.
A total of 81,903 permits were sold this year compared to 83,240 in 2021.
The statewide preliminary total includes the 2022 Youth Turkey Season harvest of 1,258 birds, which compares with the 2021 youth harvest of 1,304 turkeys (the record for youth season harvest). The statewide record total harvest for the spring turkey season was set in 2006 when 16,569 turkeys were harvested.
Spring turkey hunting was open in 100 of Illinois' 102 counties. The 2022 season dates were April 4-May 5 in the South Zone and April 11-May 12 in the North Zone. The Youth Spring Turkey Season was March 26-27 and April 2-3 statewide.
The top five counties for spring wild turkey harvest in 2021 were Jefferson (422), Jo Daviess (416), Pike (368), Randolph (315), and Pope (312).
Bird lovers may resume using backyard feeders and baths effective Wednesday, June 1, 2022, wildlife biologists at the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) advised this week.
IDNR originally recommended the use of bird feeders and bird baths be suspended through May 31 in response to the EA H5N1 strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Illinois.
With the annual spring migration of non-resident waterfowl and other migratory bird species complete, the risk of further disease outbreaks among wild bird populations has been minimized. To date, HPAI has not been detected in songbird species.
I lost another good friend this past week and I've now concluded that I have way more friends in heaven than I have left on this earth.
I've always said that time tells all! As time passes, the history of what happens to you and what happens to others comes to pass and history is written.
If you have a good friend that you haven't seen in years or, if you have a family member you haven't spoken to in some time, you had better get it done while there is time left!
Time marches on so if you have something to say or something that has been left unsaid; it's time!
Talks over a good cup of coffee or a long-time coming fishing trip is good medicine for your soul. I hope you take this as seriously as I do because time may well be running out!
Sam Van Camp writes about the outdoors on Saturdays. Fax: 446-6648. E-mail: pamnsam70@aol.com
