Heero
04-10-2018, 10:13 AM
Tait blocks from Mike's Falconry w/ master copy of the pattern. $40/ shipped lower 48 (save $5 plus shipping off new price from Mike's).
Size 22 - female gyrfalcon, small Western female red-tail.
Based on experience with the Tait blocks and pattern, a hood using this pattern/block will fit a western female redtail or small-ish eastern female redtail (think birds in the 1200 gram range, give or take). Can't speak to its fit on a gyr.
Size 7 - male coopers hawk, small male merlin/peregrine.
A hood I made on this block block fit a female coopers hawk a friend flew this past year perfectly. I suspect the pattern/block will actually fit a female aplomado rather well, as well. Cant speak to a perlin.
These are sizes I dont forsee ever needing for myself again.
The commercially-made Tait hoods are smaller and flatter than hoods made with the patterns that come with the blocks. My experience is that your bird will actually wear a size or even 2 smaller than the sizing chart. For instance, the Mike's chart lists size 17 for large female prairie, I found a 16 fit FAR better (on a 900g+ trap weight bird). On the female peregrine I currently have, a slightly enlarged 16 I made fits her wonderfully where the commercially-made 17 she came with was too small. A friend's redtail that flew around 1250g wore a 22 I made on the above block a few years back. Anyway, convo for another time...
Mike
Size 22 - female gyrfalcon, small Western female red-tail.
Based on experience with the Tait blocks and pattern, a hood using this pattern/block will fit a western female redtail or small-ish eastern female redtail (think birds in the 1200 gram range, give or take). Can't speak to its fit on a gyr.
Size 7 - male coopers hawk, small male merlin/peregrine.
A hood I made on this block block fit a female coopers hawk a friend flew this past year perfectly. I suspect the pattern/block will actually fit a female aplomado rather well, as well. Cant speak to a perlin.
These are sizes I dont forsee ever needing for myself again.
The commercially-made Tait hoods are smaller and flatter than hoods made with the patterns that come with the blocks. My experience is that your bird will actually wear a size or even 2 smaller than the sizing chart. For instance, the Mike's chart lists size 17 for large female prairie, I found a 16 fit FAR better (on a 900g+ trap weight bird). On the female peregrine I currently have, a slightly enlarged 16 I made fits her wonderfully where the commercially-made 17 she came with was too small. A friend's redtail that flew around 1250g wore a 22 I made on the above block a few years back. Anyway, convo for another time...
Mike