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.

[Skinny Shooter]

Hello adorablesong, welcome to HuntChat.
I moved your post down here to the Whitetail Forum where you are sure to get an answer.
Allen

[adorablesong]

Originally posted by Skinny Shooter
Hello adorablesong, welcome to HuntChat.
I moved your post down here to the Whitetail Forum where you are sure to get an answer.
Allen

Thanks SS!

[toxic111]

When most people talk about spread, they sometimes mean the inside spread of the antlers.

For Whitetail (and mule deer) this is part of the total score for the B&C record books.

The outside (or furthest spread) is sometimes measured, but usually does not mean much for its score.

For myself when I am hunting, I am looking for something that has a good inside spread.

[adorablesong]

Originally posted by toxic111
When most people talk about spread, they sometimes mean the inside spread of the antlers.

For Whitetail (and mule deer) this is part of the total score for the B&C record books.

The outside (or furthest spread) is sometimes measured, but usually does not mean much for its score.

For myself when I am hunting, I am looking for something that has a good inside spread.

Hi toxic,

Thanks for the reply.

Is the spread used solely for B&C score purposes, or does it mean anything particular about the buck?

Is there some significance as it relates to the deer itself or is it just something the hunters use as a way of telling how big/heavy etc. the deer is? Does a wider spread mean a better buck?

[toxic111]

The only thing a spread does is increase the total score... So good buck will have long main beams, large inside spread and long tine length, as well as good mass through the antlers.

I think what has to be decided on any buck being a 'Good' buck is a good combination of the above. Take a look at the B&C website for record deer and it will give you an idea.

I have seen large deer that didn't not have a huge spread, but did very well overall in total score.

Hope that makes some sense.

[adorablesong]

Gotcha. Thanks again toxic for the info. It's very helpful.

Happy Hunting.

[fabsroman]

Spread on a deer is just a way of measuring antlers, and it doesn't mean anything more than that. A deer's body weight and age can be completely different than its antler spread. You can have a big bodied deer and/or a very old deer with a small spread (i.e., small rack).

The thing is that most people get excited by the size of the antlers (i.e., what hang on the wall), and not the size of the body (i.e., what goes in the freezer).

So, exactly what the spread means depends on what you are looking for in a deer. If it is large antlers, then it matters.

If you are looking for the age of a deer, this is usually best determined by teeth wear.

If you are looking for something to fill the freezer, antler spread doesn't matter, just look at body size.

[wages]

To add to what the others have said,
Spread is really only about scoreing a deer, not about aging one.

There are 3 types of spread:
Tip to Tip Spread
Greatest Spread
Inside Spread of Main Beams

Only the Inside Spread of Main Beams is actually counted in scoring a buck. And even then according to Boone and Crocket rules it is weighed against the longest length of the main beams.

"Inside Spread of Main Beams is measured at a right angle to the center line of the skull at widest point between main beams. Enter this measurement again as the Spread Credit if it is less than or equal to the length of the longer antler; if greater, enter longer antler length for Spread Credit."