I can contradict myself. I have killed bucks in full rut, big huge necks swollen, that have tasted great, and I have killed bucks that were in peak rut that were so gamey they were not fit to eat.
One thing I have noticed that the quicker the kill the better taste of the meat. Deer that have ran a long ways just seemed to taste different. I think that stress of the animal at killing time has something to do with it.