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I was going to suggest a .45 also, because the OP mentions big game. The Colt Commander is small enough to conceal, especially if you mate it with a clip that will attach to the inside waistband. I don't know how it would stack up against a bear, but if you do a mag dump on a bear, you just might get his attention, especially if you're using hollowpoints. A .45 against a mountain lion might me more effective because it's a smaller animal than a bear, but lions have a way of stalking their prey and pouncing rapidly, might not be able to get to your concealed sidearm.
I think thats a great assessment fren, I recommend the trigger style safety because of the ability to rapidly deploy and shoot. Being able to deploy and fire in as few movements as possible if a cat were to pounce on you could make all the difference.
Oddly enough, I JUST came across this article about a cougar attack.
https://www.kuow.org/stories/cougar-attack-washington-state-cyclists
Wow, this poor women got torn up but luckily wasn't killed. It's a real shame the only thing her friends had to fight back were sticks and stones. That attack was brutal. When I vacationed in Tennessee I carried because of the threat of bears but to think about being ambushed by a cat would add a whole different angle to that.
Being from the mountains, I would never recommend a semi-automatic pistol for the woods. Too many things that can go wrong. This is just my personal experience and opinion (and we KNOW what those are). I take a short barrel revolver. I am not going to shoot a bear or cougar from a distance with a handgun. I carry the shorter barrel for ease of deployment (chest rig works wonders!), and it is there for surprises like coming across a mama bear with cubs. You won't have a lot of time to react. If in in bear country and lion country, I wouldn't carry anything less that a .357 Mag. 45 Long Colt, 44 mag, or 454 Casull are great options.
Your opinion carries weight, and you should do whatever you're most comfortable with. But the old tried-and-true 1911 has seen action in jungles, foxholes, mud, and sandy beaches for over a century, and if one cares for his sidearm it will hold up under conditions in the woods. I just like the added firepower of a 1911 over a revolver. Again, my opinion. Your mileage may vary.
I started out with a 1911 when I was 8 years old. The only handgun that I am deadly accurate with every time. I love the way it feels in my hand, and the way it shoots. However, a .45ACP does not have the power that a .357 does. It is a big, slow bullet. It works fantastic against the 2 legged animals, but not so great with the bigger, more dangerous kind, like the silvertip grizzly and the moose. Where I live, I carry a 9mm for the simple fact that I can have more extra ammo options when I go to the city. My 1911 is mainly for practice, and part of a bug out option because, like you stated, it is rugged and will stand up to most environments.
If he's out Bow hunting he shouldn't be concealed carry just for the point you made plus no necessity to be conceal carry. But, he'll want to carry in a manner for a quick draw and then practice it if different from CC style. For instance, if his ready position for drawing his Bow is with his dominant hand at chest height, he could use a tactical vest with the solar plexus holster canted towards him like some use for combat. His hand would literally be right next to his firearm most of the time and he could have a sub-second reaction to weapon on target time. If I'm out Bow hunting around lurking Mtn Lions, this would be my carry position of choice. With the tactical vest you can also easily carry extra mags that are convenient/fast to reach.
As an aside, I have a .45 glock but never got used to the bullet drop at range, 20+ feet and seemed to drop almost a foot or so. Maybe it was the ammo I was using or just me or they all have that issue. My glock 19 (9mm) doesn't give me that problem, which as I said, might be shooter induced anyway. Either way, be sure to use a sufficient ammo grain load with hollow point for max damage, IMO.
"Bullet drop" is frequently caused by anticipating the shot and involuntarily pushing the hand forward as you fire. Try letting the shot "surprise" you, gently squeeze the trigger and ignore the fact that it is going to recoil. I've seen plenty of "low shooters" become better pistol shots with that one technique.
Yup. Also, other techniques that work well at the range are: if you have a partner, have them randomly load the mags with snap caps. That way you don't know when they will pop up. It helps quite a bit to correct anticipation. Another one is use snap caps and dry fire with a dime resting on the barrel. This might help if you are having trouble with correct finger placement causing the gun to pull left or right.