Black-Footed Ferret Protection Program Hat

$35.00

In stock

Shipping calculated in cart/checkout:  Shipping rates for first items start at $7, calculated based on weight of total order.

An embroidered cap for the Black-Footed Ferret Protection Program. The front carries a detailed black-footed ferret embroidery, and the back reads “I Protected a Black Footed Ferret.” Buying it puts real money toward one of the most successful endangered-species recovery efforts in the country.

  • Embroidered black-footed ferret on the front, “I Protected a Black Footed Ferret” on the back
  • A portion of every purchase funds ferret recovery on Buffalo Gap National Grassland
  • Includes a printed pamphlet about the recovery program
  • Conata Basin within Buffalo Gap National Grassland is the most successful ferret reintroduction site in the country
  • Sold exclusively at BHPFA partner park stores
  • Proceeds support the Nebraska National Forests & Grasslands and other BHPFA partner parks and forests.

In stock

60-day returns · Ships from South Dakota via USPS

Black-Footed Ferret Protection Program Hat

$35.00

In stock

Shipping calculated in cart/checkout:  Shipping rates for first items start at $7, calculated based on weight of total order.

An embroidered cap for the Black-Footed Ferret Protection Program. The front carries a detailed black-footed ferret embroidery, and the back reads “I Protected a Black Footed Ferret.” Buying it puts real money toward one of the most successful endangered-species recovery efforts in the country.

  • Embroidered black-footed ferret on the front, “I Protected a Black Footed Ferret” on the back
  • A portion of every purchase funds ferret recovery on Buffalo Gap National Grassland
  • Includes a printed pamphlet about the recovery program
  • Conata Basin within Buffalo Gap National Grassland is the most successful ferret reintroduction site in the country
  • Sold exclusively at BHPFA partner park stores
  • Proceeds support the Nebraska National Forests & Grasslands and other BHPFA partner parks and forests.

In stock

60-day returns · Ships from South Dakota via USPS

Honest Shipping

Real USPS rates, no markup. The money we save funds trail crews and internships.

Join BHPFA for $30 a year -> get your code by email in seconds. -> Use it at checkout today. Show your card at hundreds of nonprofit park stores nationwide for 10% off.

Ranger Approved

Every item is selected or approved by rangers and staff. Your purchase keeps them on the front lines.

Honest Shipping

Real USPS rates, no markup. The money we save funds trail crews and internships.

Join BHPFA for $30 a year -> get your code by email in seconds. -> Use it at checkout today. Show your card at hundreds of nonprofit park stores nationwide for 10% off.

Ranger Approved

Every item is selected or approved by rangers and staff. Your purchase keeps them on the front lines.

Description

What it is

This is the hat option in the Black-Footed Ferret Protection Program. It is a washed-cotton cap with a black-footed ferret embroidered on the front and the line “I Protected a Black Footed Ferret” stitched across the back. Each one ships with a printed pamphlet that walks through the recovery program’s history. A portion of the price goes directly to ferret conservation, education, and interpretation on Buffalo Gap National Grassland. The rest covers the hat, the pamphlet, and program costs.

About the design

The front embroidery shows the black-footed ferret in profile, with the species’ tan coat, dark legs, and dark tail tip. The back of the cap carries the program tagline so the wearer is quietly making the case for prairie conservation. The cap is the take-home marker of having put money toward the recovery work, paired with the pamphlet that explains it.

Why ferrets, and why this grassland

The black-footed ferret was declared extinct in 1979. A small surviving population was rediscovered in 1981 near Meeteetse, Wyoming, and 18 individuals were captured to start a captive-breeding program in 1987. Reintroduction to the wild began in 1991. From 1996 to 1999, 147 black-footed ferrets were released into the Conata Basin within Buffalo Gap National Grassland in southwestern South Dakota, which became the most successful reintroduction site in the country. Wind Cave National Park runs its own active reintroduction site as part of the same regional recovery effort.

Where the conservation share goes

A portion of each purchase is earmarked for ferret conservation on Buffalo Gap National Grassland, which is administered by the Nebraska National Forests & Grasslands. The funds support resource-management activities at the reintroduction site, public education, and interpretive material at partner visitor centers including Wind Cave National Park. The work is ongoing: sylvatic plague reached the Conata Basin population in 2008 and required vaccinating individual ferrets and dusting prairie dog burrows to slow the disease. The rest covers the hat, the program pamphlet, shipping materials, and program administration. There is no separate handling fee.

Who is this for

Visitors to Wind Cave National Park or the Buffalo Gap National Grassland who learned about the ferret recovery work and want a wearable way to support it. It also suits anyone who follows endangered-species recovery, since the Conata Basin is the marquee black-footed ferret site, and gift buyers who want a souvenir with a real story attached rather than a generic cap.

Frequently asked questions

Where does my $35 go?
A portion goes to black-footed ferret conservation on Buffalo Gap National Grassland (administered by the Nebraska National Forests & Grasslands). The rest covers the hat, the printed pamphlet, and program costs.

What does the hat say?
The front has an embroidered black-footed ferret. The back reads “I Protected a Black Footed Ferret.”

Where can I see black-footed ferrets?
The Conata Basin within Buffalo Gap National Grassland is the largest reintroduction site. Wind Cave National Park also has an active site. Ferrets are nocturnal and rarely seen in daylight, so sightings are uncommon even in good habitat.

Does buying this support the park?
BHPFA is the official nonprofit partner of Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, Scotts Bluff National Monument, and Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, as well as the Black Hills National Forest and Nebraska National Forests & Grasslands. Proceeds from every purchase support education programs, conservation projects, and visitor services at these sites.

Every Purchase Makes a Difference

When you shop with Black Hills Parks & Forests Association, you are directly funding:

  • Education programs — nature workshops, Junior Ranger activities, and homeschool adventures for kids across the Black Hills
  • Trail maintenance — keeping hiking trails safe and accessible at Wind Cave, Jewel Cave, and the Black Hills National Forest
  • Visitor services — park store operations, interpretive programs, and the staff who help millions of visitors each year
  • Conservation — supporting the long-term health of public lands in the Black Hills and Nebraska

BHPFA is the official nonprofit partner of the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service in the Black Hills region. We have supported these public lands since 1946.

Learn more about our mission →

Additional information

Weight 5 oz
Brand

Black Hills Parks & Forests Association

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