maples bonsai

if i have small maple trees growing in my yard can i plant one in a smallish pot and make a bonsai out of it?
https://i.servimg.com/u/f67/15/17/09/19/00114.jpg

Hello again Jordan. Seedlings in small pots take a very long time to develope into bonsai. A spell in the ground for a few years, can help develop a nice trunk. Photo's advisable.

There is another problem. It depends on what kind of maple. In Central Illinois, there are probably no native maples suitable for bonsai. The one in your picture looks like Norway maple, or some other seedling from a neighbor's yard tree. Don't bother with it.
If you want to try this route, look for a neighbor with a Japanese maple, Acer palmatum. If he gets seedlings from that, you can use them for bonsai after growing them in the ground for a few years. It is more advisable to find a nursery in the Chicago area that sells pre-bonsai. Look for Matt Ouwinga. He sells trident maples, which are the best choice for bonsai.
Iris