Straight Arrow,
Sorry I gored one of your sacred cows.
Imagine this scenario.
You go to your favorite N.Y. steak house. The waiter is attentive, polite and working hard for his tip.
“Good evening Mr. Arrow, nice to see you and the misses again. Tonight’s special is a prime fillet of beef. About sunset on the day of the harvest, with temperatures in the high 70’s, we shot the beef in liver about sunset. We let the steer wander off to die and then we let it marinate in the bile until several hours after sunrise. You will also be pleased to know that the bears and coyotes didn’t take more than 40 lbs of meat. The morning sun kept the critter warm and the legs had just obtained “lift off” before we quartered the beast. As luck would have it we made it to the packing house just before they closed for the day”.
Me, I‘m ordering the fish.
Sure it’s possible that the elk could lie in its bed and die right before sunrise and the meat would be “ok”. But why even go there?
“I have recovered 4 elk that had to sit overnight.” Few if any elk “have” to sit overnight. It certainly is easier, more convenient to find them in the morning…but HAVING to sit over night…not for me. It’s simple, if you have any doubts, don’t shoot.
Hunting in the evenings is great and you can get in to lots of critters, just be prepared for that almost dark shot and the work that goes with it.
Should we someday meet on the trail I’ll fix us dinner. You bring the veggies and I’ll supply the meat
Good luck this season.
Bob