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I had Jake cut about two weeks ago and it didn't slow him down one bit. I tried to keep him from going with the other dogs on a bear that was just outside the orchard the day after and he climbed over the 6 foot fence to join the chase... They bayed the bear up about 1/4 mile so not much of a run but he was there at the front barking less than a foot from the bear. No pictures because I didn't go back to the house to get the camera...

So it sure don't hurt to cut them unless you plan to breed. Not so sure it helps them either but I have had enough folks that should know tell me they will live longer and be healthier... I had uncut dogs live 15 years they were not much good for hunting after 14 though. And right now have a cut one thats 16 and still chassing bears but showing his age hard this year... he is all skin and bones but still eating like a horse.

We have a neutered male Walker and it hasnt effected him one bit from what i can tell. He is good natured and does great with pups. He was neutered because he got jumped by coyotes and that was the only way to save him. He still goes hard and hunts well, he's just gained alot of weight !

I personally don't like cut males, but I have seen some good ones. In my opinion it only course the growly fighting problem less than half the time. It usually doesn't affect there hunting, but I seen one dog that it did. My dad owned him and he was a real good dog, but at about 5 years old he got mean, so dad had him cut. It cured the meanness, but over the next 6-8 months it was just like watching a dog regress back to being a pup. He went from being a top dog, to not doing as good, to making some races, to standing in the road with you listening to dogs he had run with all his life. Never seen another dog react that way to being cut, but it ruined Chief. Of course he wasn't much good when he was mean anyways, you couldn't even hunt him with females, he didn't care what sex a dog was if he decided he didn't like it. It would have been better to cure him with a bullet, but he was already a good dog that didn't get mean until he was 5 and the main dog it dad's pack, so I guess cutting him wa worth a try.

Don't you think most dogs will show us early on if they are worth trying to reproduce? I would stress MOST. Unless you have a male that you " can't live without a pup" out of, neuter him. Seems as though it just makes him easier to be aroundand If he hunted before you cut him he still will.
We all would like to think we have the best male out there,but when I get out there, I always find someone with more knowledge and a better bred hound.

Thanks, everyone for the info. As of today Friday the 6th the hound is under the knife and bring cut.

He's outta surgey, doing well and Im picking him up in a few hours. Hopfully, he keeps the great nose and desire to hunt fast and hard.

I think it will turn out just fine. Ya'll been great with the info. He now should be even more dialed in as a hunter. It should help cut back on the fight causing with other males the desire to pee on every bush, tree and not get distracted by the females this should help keep his head on the game trail even more.

Thanks again..... let ya know more once he's back in the woods. I think I picked a good time to do it since its down time for cougar,bears. Will give him good time to recover.

later, Robb

I"m sure most of these hunters are way smarter than I am , but I just never cut my dogs. Don"t tolerate illtempered or growley dogs in my pack and it don"t bother me if they piss on a bush. I"ve seen three differant dogs cut because of growling and it didn"t stop it. Hopefully I"ll wise up , see the advantages , and start choppin on em someday.

I currently have 5 male dogs. Three uncut and two cut. They all live together in a one acre run. Been this way now for 10 years. Never any fights, no riding each other and no difference in the way they hunt. Just keep the females away and almost all your problems go away.

Thanks everyone for the info keep it coming it makes me happy to know I done the right thing. Hounds doing great I have not noticed any changes in his hunting or motivation to hunt or track.

From what I have been told, Joe Rufus was pretty good with a knife as well. I have heard stories of the Boys roading along for bobcats and have a male start paying a little too much attention to a female. He would stop the truck, perform surgery and keep hunting the male though he might track a little sideways for a while.
I picked up an old running walker that I hunted for several years on bobcats that had been neutered. He was easy to handle and did not waste a lot of time wetting on the bushes. Have owned and seen a few others that it would take a lot more than a castration to salvage.
I maybe crazy but it seems that most of the dogs that were a little "over sexed" were the ones that had a curl to their tales. At any rate, when picking pups, I always avoided the ring tailed dogs.

Thanks again everyone for the info

Robb

I can't say weather it affects them or not as far as hunting ability but I do know the one male I have that is cut is the only male I have that humps the other males and still tries to breed females I have no idea why he's like that and not saying anything about other cut males I think this male just has his own issues. Wish I had something helpfull to add

THE KNIFE MAKES LIFE ALOT SIMPLER AND THE HUNT MORE ENJOYABLE. DOES NOT AFFECT THE OUT COME ONE BIT. IF YOU HAVE A MALE THAT IS A RIDER YOU CAN HAVE REAL PROBLEMS ANY WHERE BUT AROUND A TREE YOU MIGHT LOOSE THE BEST DOG YOU HAVE.

WHEN IT COMES TO FEMALES THEY COME IN HEAT AT THE WRONG TIMES. ALSO UN NUETERED FEMALES ARE MORE SUSPETABLE TO BREAST CANCER. I DO NOT KNOW ABOUT UTERINE CANCER.