this post has been some good reading. i also have a walk in cooler but have not been able to use it yet. i seemes that i have stuck all my deer this year on away hunts so what i do is skin, quarter and put in a cooler for a few days draining the water off a couple of times. it seems to work prety good.
i have never tried to judge the tast of the meat before the shot it is kinda like running with the ball before you catch it. if the deer looks and acts normal i shoot.