I've read that the amount of adrenaline flowing in the critter when it dies has a lot to do with the table quality. I think it may be true but I'm not sure how we could compare and quantify that from deer to deer, age to age, or sex to sex.As others have said I think it depends on how the deer was “harvested”. Waiting for a clean shot, executing the shot well, quickly recovering the deer, gutting it cleanly, and getting the meat cold is the path to a good tasting deer. Also butchering the deer yourself is the way to go if able. Hunting in cold weather makes this process easier.
If it is true, then I'd contend that any deer shot thru both lungs (no ribs broken) with a highly sharp, 2 blade broadhead would taste better than a gun shot deer and heavy bones are broken. That arrow shot deer often doesn't even know it was shot. It basically loses blood to the brain with no pain. Whereas the gun shot deer hears the shot and feels the painful impact and shock of the slug.
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