Section 885.60  Herptile Scientific Collection Permit Provisions

a)         Full-time employees of state or federal conservation agencies shall be issued an HSCP at no charge for the term of their employment, as long as that person continues to submit, by January 31 of each year, an annual report of the past year's activities as defined in Section 885.70.

b)         The HSCP is valid for only the approved type of research and/or collection of a voucher herptile stated on the permit.  Under no circumstances shall an HSCP be used in lieu of sport or commercial licenses.  HSCPs exempt holders from herptile possession limits for strictly research only, whereas sport fishing licenses do have personal herptile possession limits and Herpetoculture Permits (see Sections 885.80, 885.90 and 885.100) exempt holders from herptile possession limits for personal or commercial purposes only.

c)         The permittee's method of taking herptiles must be approved by the Department.  All devices used for taking, which are left unattended, must have the permittee's name, address and Scientific Permit number visible on them.

d)         Taking and/or salvage of herptiles shall be performed by or under the direct supervision of the permittee.  The permittee shall disclose in the permit application the name of any other person who will assist the permittee. The permittee must be present when any person named in the application is involved in the actual taking of herptiles.

e)         Taking and/or collection of a voucher herptile is only allowed in areas designated on the permit.

f)         Taking and/or collection of a voucher herptile on private properties requires oral or written landowner's or landowner designee's permission.  This permit does not allow the privilege of trespass.

g)         Taking and/or collection of a voucher herptile on Department-owned or -managed lands, including, but not limited to, collection in State Parks, Conservation Areas, Nature Preserves or Land and Water Reserves, is not permitted without additional permits, pursuant to the State Parks Act, Illinois Natural Areas Preservation Act and 17 Ill. Adm. Code 110.70, 4000.570, 4000.580 and 4010.260.

h)         The HSCP must be carried on the person at all times when taking specimens and be presented, upon request, to Department or law enforcement personnel.

i)          Herptiles taken and rehabilitated shall be released to the wild here originally captured or shall be permanently donated to a public or state scientific educational or zoological institution.  Any proposed return of a herptile taken under an HSCP to the wild of Illinois must first be pre‑approved in writing by the Department.  Return of a herptile to the wild of Illinois without written approval by the Department will constitute a violation of this Part.

j)          The permittee is responsible for the taking activities under the permit and for submitting the annual report required by Section 885.70.  The permittee must maintain a record of all specimens taken for no less than 2 years and shall present that record, upon request, to Department or law enforcement personnel.

k)         An HSCP does not release the permittee from other provisions under the Act, nor from federal or other State statutes and does not supersede federal permits.

l)          No person shall transfer a permit issued under this Section to another person.