Thank you for sharing! This isn't really helpful, but I now know what I'm doing if I'm ever in a similar situation where I feel I did everything I could. I'm getting out my stove and cooking up a post hunt meal. I've risked getting food poisoning for a lot less.
In all seriousness though, did the warden give you recommendations of what you should have done different? I think you mentioned by day 3 after harvest you were already noticing signs on the meat and by my math you were a 3 day float out so even if you had packed up immediately and left there was no guarantee that the meat would be ok? What happens if the transporter isn't able to come in early like he did and you had to sit for the additional 3 days at the end waiting for your original pickup date? Are you in the clear then - with probably even more spoiled meat? So
I have never hunted Alaska so forgive my ignorance, but it seems to me there are so many variables in this case and the determination of the warden is highly subjective.
To follow up, I guess Alaska is pretty clear on this (and I answered a bunch of my own questions), found this after a google search on a sign:
Don't shoot it if you can't pack it out.
Don't shoot early into a long hunt or float, or in warm weather
Plan carefully with your guide or transporter...
a delayed pick-up is not an excuse for letting meat spoil.
Bad weather is not an excuse for bad meat - care for it properly
https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/research/plans/pdfs/unit23_wasting_meat_poster.pdf
In all seriousness though, did the warden give you recommendations of what you should have done different? I think you mentioned by day 3 after harvest you were already noticing signs on the meat and by my math you were a 3 day float out so even if you had packed up immediately and left there was no guarantee that the meat would be ok? What happens if the transporter isn't able to come in early like he did and you had to sit for the additional 3 days at the end waiting for your original pickup date? Are you in the clear then - with probably even more spoiled meat? So
I have never hunted Alaska so forgive my ignorance, but it seems to me there are so many variables in this case and the determination of the warden is highly subjective.
To follow up, I guess Alaska is pretty clear on this (and I answered a bunch of my own questions), found this after a google search on a sign:
Don't shoot it if you can't pack it out.
Don't shoot early into a long hunt or float, or in warm weather
Plan carefully with your guide or transporter...
a delayed pick-up is not an excuse for letting meat spoil.
Bad weather is not an excuse for bad meat - care for it properly
https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/research/plans/pdfs/unit23_wasting_meat_poster.pdf