Lloyd, I think you got the part about omnivorous scavenger right when it comes to black bear. Many of them do fatten up by visiting garbage dumps, etc., and I think that must affect the taste of the meat. I've eaten some bear that was tough, stringy, and not very tasty. But one of the absolute most delicious pieces of meat I've ever eaten was tenderloin from a small sow taken in big woods near Kinzua Dam.
I've noticed that diet definitely affects other game too. I concentrate my deer hunting to areas that are within a mile or so of corn and white oak acorns. The deer will browse on dozens of other foods, but they will eat a lot of those deer magnets when they are available, and it makes a big difference in the taste of the meat. The last thing I do after gutting is to make a quick slice on the forward stomach to see what they've been eating.
