So many factors at play. I have been on a few hunts where another shooter took an animal at last light but could not recover it until the next day and had no issues with the meat.
I have intentionally left an animal in the bush overnight only because it was too hazardous to safely extricate in the dark, but only after field dressing and packing the carcass full of snow. Never had a problem with the meat when using this tactic.
On another hunt, a buddy took a moose towards last light and could not find it in the dark. He went out the next morning, picked up the trail right away, and got to work in getting it back to his shop for processing. Temperature should have been cold enough, he got it out of the bush quickly and tended to cutting and wrapping but it was not edible. I was amazed at how quickly the entire carcass gassed.
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