POSSESSION
1. It is unlawful to possess a Western Chicken turtle, Blanding’s turtle, Illinois Mud turtle or Yellow Mud turtle
2. A maximum of five (5) combined specimens of any native turtles except Western Chicken turtles, Blanding’s turtles, Illinois Mud turtles, Yellow Mud turtles, Alligator Snapping turtles, common Snapping and Soft-shelled turtles may be possessed alive without a permit, but these animals shall not be bought or sold.
3. More than the above 5 specimens requires a Class I Wildlife Breeder permit.
4. Except for federally-designated endangered species, reptiles not native to Missouri may be bought, sold, possessed, transported and exhibited without permit.
5. Endangered wildlife taken legally outside Missouri may be imported, transported or possessed, but may not be sold or purchased without written approval of the director.
TAKING FROM THE WILD
1. A fishing license is required to take Common Snappers and Softshells from the wild. No license is required to take other unprotected species up to a comination limit of 5.
2. Common snapping turtles and soft-shelled turtles may be taken by hand, hand net, bow, crossbow, trotline, throwline, limb line, bank line, jug line, snagging, snaring, grabbing, or pole and line. Shooting turtles with firearms is prohibited. There is no closed season for Snappers. Softshells may only be taken Jul 1 – Dec 31. Daily limit is 5 each.
3. Alligator Snappers are protected and may not be taken.
4. A maximum of five (5) specimens of any native turtle except Western Chicken turtles, Blanding’s turtles, Illinois Mud turtles, Yellow Mud turtles, Alligator Snapping turtles, common Snapping and Soft-shelled turtles may be taken alive without a permit, but these animals shall not be bought or sold.
COMMERCIAL
1. Only Common Snappers and Softshells may be taken commercially with a commercial fishing license and from the Missouri, Mississippi and St. Francis Rivers only. There are no bag or possession limits.
2. Class I Wildlife Breeder Permits allow the holder to exhibit, possess and propagate, buy and sell those animals defined as Class I wildlife. These include nonvenomous reptiles, and amphibians native to Missouri.
3. Only the following species are allowed with a permit: River Cooter Pseudemys concinna, Red-eared Slider Trachemys scripta elegans, Smooth Softshell Apalone mutica, Spiny Softshell Apalone spinifera, Ornate Box Turtle Terrapene ornate, Alligator Snapping Turtle Macrochelys temminckii, Common Map Turtle Graptemys geographica, Common Musk (Stinkpot) Turtle, Sternotherus odoratus, Common Snapping Turtle Chelydra serpentine, Mississippi Mud , Turtle Kinosternon subrubrum, Southern Painted Turtle Chrysemys picta dorsalis, Three-toed Box Turtle Terrapene carolina triunguis and Western Painted Turtle Chrysemys picta belli.