Which Hood???

[cliff]

I bought and used a Khan hood for my first hawk, a redtail. I wasn't all that pleased with it as when I closed it there were always one or two feathers in the back of her head that got displaced and twisted no matter what I did. Other than that the hood fit perfectly. I did like the look of it, but I didn't like the twisted feathers.

This year I'm going buy something else. Does anyone have any suggestions as to which hoods will mess up the feathers the least? I've talked with one dealer who expressed a preference for either Dutch hoods or Anglo-Indian. Thoughts???

Thanks

[echotadog]

I too own a custom Khan hood ( a true Khan from Ken Hooke ) for 900-1000g MRT's and had no issues with feather binding . Was yours a Ken Hooke Hood ? Are you sure you had the right size ?
I only stopped using it when I trapped a larger PFRT .It has been transfered to a friends newly trapped PMRT with no complaints.

In my humble opinion , Bryant Tarr makes the best hoods for the field going . My sponsor uses his hoods exclusively and I've never seen a RT fight wearing one . Nice open eye ports and plenty of space inside . I love mine he made last year and have just ordered a few more for Cooper's hawks .
His relationship with Hood making is on again off again so its best to order while he still makes them for the year .

www.hawkhillhoods.com .

They have a great fit & perfect gape opening that makes them more versatile for different weight hawks . He will make it custom to your specs or just a General Sized Set for trapping ( 1m 1f ).

Chris Proctor of Proctor Hoods would be my next choice , he makes beautiful hoods , Dutch and a blocked Anglo Indian that looks Mean on a rt . My good friend here has one on his monster FRT that fits like a glove . Another Falconer in TN ( also on this site ) Uses his hoods exclusively for his birds too.
He does awesome work and knows the skull of a raptor like no other . Firmly stands behind all his work too .

There's no point in buying cheap hoods once you have a hawk worth keeping . I'd pay twice the price of an eBay hood just for the ease of hooding a bird properly with a well fitting hood . The more comfortable they are , the better your falconry will be .
Its ok to own a collection of cheap hoods for trapping but once it's down to proper hood training ,
Spend More with an American Craftsman and falconer who knows the hawks we fly . They can walk you through the measuring and fitting even before ordering .
My quarter's worth ...

[cliff]

Yes, I have a true Hooke Khan hood, and it was the correct size right on the button. I love the look of it and the workmanship, but I could never get it to stop messing up the feathers in the back of the head. It was just one of those annoying things.

I believe that I'm going to make 3 different sizes of Slijper hoods to cover my bases for trapping an HH. I downloaded the patterns, cut them out and marked them today. I'll make a 48, 50 & 52 to cover my bases. It'll be a good experience, and I won't need any forms. Once I have the hawk and measure it properly I can give Bryant Tarr a try for a "permanent" use hood - that is unless the hawk and I both like the Slijper's. Thanks for the lead on Tarr I appreciate your help.

Cliff.

[Deleted]

Sept 8, 2012 21:57:56 GMT -5 cliff said:

Yes, I have a true Hooke Khan hood, and it was the correct size right on the button. I love the look of it and the workmanship, but I could never get it to stop messing up the feathers in the back of the head. It was just one of those annoying things.

I believe that I'm going to make 3 different sizes of Slijper hoods to cover my bases for trapping an HH. I downloaded the patterns, cut them out and marked them today. I'll make a 48, 50 & 52 to cover my bases. It'll be a good experience, and I won't need any forms. Once I have the hawk and measure it properly I can give Bryant Tarr a try for a "permanent" use hood - that is unless the hawk and I both like the Slijper's. Thanks for the lead on Tarr I appreciate your help.

Cliff.

slijper are just anglo indian hoods. You could also try a Chris Proctor hood. proctorhoods.com/hawk-hoods.html

Post pics of your hoods!

[robhawkyyz]

sometimes when closing a hood on a bird they will get some feathers caught up in the braces or closure.. understand their hackles were probably up, if trapping and if it fit good later on it could have been user error.. different hoods fit or need to be placed on the hawk differently... from an anglo to a dutch hood or anything else, you have to practice putting it on your hawk.

[Falcon Boy]

I have become a true fan of dutch hoods, specifically molded on Tait blocks. I've tried Khan hoods and personally don't like them. Don't get me wrong, they are absolutely beautiful when Ken makes them and his craftsmanship is top notch, but i don't like the beak opening. One thing you'll see is that many hood makers utilize different styles of beak opening. Some birds can cast through, some they cannot. Be sure you know whether or not your bird can cast through it's hood, and plan accordingly.

There are a lot of great hood makers out there. I don't skimp on hoods, however there is no need to pay crazy amounts for one either. Smaller hood makers, such as Helsom, make fantastic hoods. It's just a matter of finding someone whos work you like and you can work with well. If you have someone local, they are your best bet as they can custom fit the hood to your bird. I've done this once and it was by far the best fitting hood i've ever seen.

For a dutch hood, expect to pay $50-120 depending upon the hood maker you choose and the quality of the hood. The cost is not always what dictates the quality! My advice is to try and see their work in person before you purchase a hood from them. Also be sure to get an estimate how long the hood will take to receive before you agree to buy one. Sometimes folks are backlogged.

IMHO, a well fitting hood is one of the most important pieces of falconry equipment. Poorly hooding a bird (through technique or hood quality/fitment) can destroy your relationship with the bird. Not to mention that you are covering their most important sensory input. On the other hand, a well fitting hood can help establish a routine, facilitate handling, and protect the bird from difficult or mentally challenging experiences.

[Deleted]

Sept 9, 2012 14:06:49 GMT -5 Falcon Boy said:

.

IMHO, a well fitting hood is one of the most important pieces of falconry equipment. Poorly hooding a bird (through technique or hood quality/fitment) can destroy your relationship with the bird. Not to mention that you are covering their most important sensory input. On the other hand, a well fitting hood can help establish a routine, facilitate handling, and protect the bird from difficult or mentally challenging experiences.

amen !

[Joby]

I love Tait, Proctor, Tarr and Hooke hoods. But for my new HH I went with a suggestion that a buddy had and went with a modified indian hood from Bob Helsom. It fit like a DREAM and only cost me $55. I liked it so much I bought another for my other HH.
www.helsomhoods.com

[cliff]

Echoman, I've contacted Bryant Tarr. I did like what I saw on his site. Thank you

In the meantime I've started making a Slijper's hood. I don't anticipate that it will be a leather crafter's delight, but it should be "good enough" for a newly trapped hawk. When I've got the measurements I'll buy a "good looking" hood from Bryant.

Cliff.

[robhawkyyz]

bryant tarrs , proctors, hookes are awesome hood makers and there are a few others do not hesitate to order from them, granted some of them might be overwhelmed with orders this time of year, don't over measure cliff, they can usually figure it out.

[echotadog]

Recieved a Hood from Bryant Tarr today . Once again , he did great work .
Sized , color ... all as asked . No frills and great looking , thanks to HawkHill Hoods.

[echotadog]

All that promotion I was doing I might as well share the new hood ...

[Deleted]

my hood is from Robert Huber

[madadam]

I've just started making hoods and I'm still looking for good books with different designs.

I've tried making Anglo Indian hoods so far and after a while they not so hard to make,
take a look at some I've made, and post any good patterns along with your hoods!!!

apfalconry.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=equipment&thread=8175&page=1#115265

Adam