Elk Grove Village in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

North American Elk

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, October 27, 2026

1. North American Elk Marker

Inscription. Native Amrican tribes had significant connections to elk for food, tools and art. But by the 1900s, elk numbers in North America dwindled to less than 100,000, down from an estimated 10 million elk who lived across much of the northern two-thirds of the United States. Now with the help of concentrated wildlife management efforts, populations have increased or stabilized.

The Busse Woods Elk Pasture
The Forest Preserves of Cook County has maintained an elk herd at Busse Woods since 1925, when nine cows and a bull were purchased from the National Park Service and transported here from Yellowstone National Park. Elk Grove Village views the elk herd as a wing reminder of its namesake.

The herd forages in the Pasture's mix of woods, shallow wetlands and open grassland and gets water from the Pasture's plants, ponds and wallows. Crews also fill a water tank daily—heated in winter to prevent it from freezing solid—and hay and supplements designed at Brookfield Zoo help ensure he elk are getting all the necessary nutrients during the winter. New animals are regularly introduced to ensure genetic diversity.

A Year in the Life
Spring
In

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early spring, bulls lose their antlers, which begin to grow back immediately, and femals feed more to help grow their young.

Summer
Most calves are born by early June, spending their first few weeks hiding in the grass. Within hours of birth, a newborn calf can stand on its own.

Fall
During breeding season male elk make distinct high-pitched calls, known as a bugle, to challenge other bulls and attract cows.

Winter
Elk are used to extreme weather. For winter, they grow hollow guard hairs that act similar to a down coat, and a soft underfur, too.

Did you know?
Adult male elk are known as bulls, while female elk are known as cows. Young elk are called calves.

Erected by Forest Preserves of Cook County.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1925.

Location. 42° 1.863′ N, 87° 59.24′ W. Marker is in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, in Cook County. It is on Arlington Heights Road 0.2 miles north of Higgins Road (Illinois Route 72), on the right when traveling south. The marker is near the elk pasture, near the

Elk pasture at Busse Woods image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, October 27, 2026

2. Elk pasture at Busse Woods

parking lot on the eastern side of Busse Woods. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Arlington Heights IL 60005, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater Chicago.

It is also in the American Midwest.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Great Lakes,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Aaron Miner (approx. 0.6 miles away); Revolutionary War Veterans (approx. 0.6 miles away); Fifer Eli Skinner (approx. 0.6 miles away); Elk Grove Cemetery (approx. 0.6 miles away); Reverend J. Ward Morrison Boulevard (approx. 1.7 miles away); Veterans Memorial Park (approx. 2.2 miles away); a different marker also named Veteran's Memorial Park (approx. 2.2 miles away); Fallen Soldier (approx. 2.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Elk Grove Village.

More about this marker.

North American Elk Marker at Busse Woods image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, October 27, 2026

3. North American Elk Marker at Busse Woods

The marker is mostly readable, however it displays considerable decay, including a darkening of the marker itself and large gashes that make some of the words hard to decipher.

Regarding North American Elk. Elk Grove Township was surveyed in 1840 and named for the herds of native elk that used to roam the area. After World War II, the once-rural community about 20 miles west of downtown Chicago was acquired by a developer and converted into a suburb, which was incorporated in 1956 as Elk Grove Village. Busse Woods covers more than 3,500 acres of land within Elk Grove Village, including the 17 acres devoted to this elk pasture on its eastern edge.

Credits. This page was last revised on October 28, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 28, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 3 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 28, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.