Question about bucks

[adorablesong]

Hi everyone, I hope I'm posting in the right spot for this....

I'm searching for an answer to this question and have yet to find it. I was hoping someone here would know the correct answer.

When one hunts deer, they inevitably measure the 'spread' or the distance between the furthest points on the antlers, yes?

My question is, why is this done, and what is the significance of the 'spread'? Does it mean the buck is older, better, more desireable, (or what?) than a buck with a shorter spread?

I'm sure this is an easy question for those of you that are seasoned hunters, but no one I know has been able to give me an answer as to why this is done.

Thanks in advance for your response.