mule is better than whitetail, imo. elk is &@#%ing fantastic.
if it tastes real gamey, it was prob. either poorly butchered or wasn't killed quickly. buildup of lactic acid and excess blood from internal bleeding in a slow dying animal will affect the taste quite a bit. an animal hit in a major artery, heart, or lung usually will taste clean (or animal quickly killed via another route and immed. bled).