Per our conversations with many guides and repeat hunters prior to our hunt, overactivity, hormones, and other rutting behavioer (including the habit of bulls lapping up cow urine) strongly taints the meat in the rut period, sometimes making it inedible.
If we wanted the best possible quality meat, without a question we were recommended to go as early in the season as possible away from the rut, or as late after as possible.Earlier being much better. In Newfoundland, timing with the rut isn't important for success as the very high success rate is consistent throughout the season, bulls just are easier to call during the rut.