ORIGINAL: firelt72
I am not sure about IL, but make sure your state allows you to have them. I am not 100% sure, but I recall a post on a state site here in Indiana that states that turtle shell calls are illegal to have, it encourages the killing of turtles that are protected. This applied even to dead tutles we find out in the field, I find 3-4 easy a spring.
That very well could be possible, if it is a protected species in most states it is illegal to possess any animal part of a protected species, mainly because they have no way of telling whether you found it or killed it.