The wapiti also known as the American elk, is a large deer native to North America, Europe, and Asia. The name comes from a Shawnee Indian word for this animal, wapiti, which means “white rump.” According to the journals of explorers, elk herds roamed throughout Illinois in the 1700s.
Based on fossils from paleontological and archaeological sites, elk were present in northern Illinois for over 10,000 years. Native American and Early European settlers hunted elk for meat and hides. Much of its native habitat was converted to farmland. By 1855, the elk had completely disappeared from Illinois.