It's my understanding that descenting a buck has no affect on its breeding ability. If so, why don't more people opt to do this? Is it because the odor is not entirely eliminated? Still, if it considerably cuts down the smell, why is this procedure not done more often?

-- Lynn (moonspinner@bluefrognet.net), February 15, 2002

Answers

It's because the procedure isn't always effective, leading to doubts that it can be done at all. You know how hard it can be just to get a buck kid dehorned so that scurs don't grow; well, descenting is kind of like that. And even when it is done, the buck will still smell a little. How much he smells depends on how thoroughly he was done. My least smelly buck I had was surgically dehorned. They just about cut the whole top of his head off, because his horns had such a wide diameter. He smelled like urine, but other than that he didn't smell much. Guess what- he was the doe's favorite guy!!! ( Must have been the handsome dished face and wide chest) ;)

The other two bucks I had were attempts at descenting, they both have scurs and they noth smell somewhat. However, all three bucks together, did not smell as badly as the horned buck I used to own. I would not expect total elimination of all smell. But reduction is definitely possible.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), February 16, 2002.