With having 7 brothers and sisters and 6 of my kids +parents and my wife that hunt I have tasted well over 100 elk and over 200 deer and I would say Im not sure there is such thing as a bad tasting elk.If you take care of the meat right.Bull/cow Icant tell.but the most off tasting one was about a 16 year old cow.and 1 2x2 buck that my dog would not even eat.
Best meat for me was a young spike bull... I do think you can tell the differance between cow and bull, but it all comes down to handling the meat once it hits the ground PERIOD.
Get it taken care of quick and into a meat locker and all is well.