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I live in CO and hunt and fish frequently as well. Two legged critters are my primary consideration, but I am fine with 9mm for Bears, Mountain Lions and Coyotes if I happen to run into a rare one that might come after me. I have had bears and Lions follow me hunting, but they never got closer than a few hundred yards.
Hunting, I am usually carrying a high powered rifle as well. Sometimes I will carry a 10mm or .41 Mag, but more just because I might want to fill a tag with the handgun if opportunity presents than for wild predators.
Truth be told, I have put down several wounded animals, and that at times leads me to carry a heavier handgun. A few deer gutted by jumping a barbwire fence, 5 animals still alive after being hit by cars and several Elk wounded by slob hunters. Yes, I notified LE in all cases and there were no issues. But I don't like seeing wounded animals and so I am pretty quick to put them out of their misery if I see such. So if I am carrying 9mm and driving out of the metro area, not only do I take a full med kit, but something more powerful. I might toss in the .308, or a 12g or maybe the lever action. If I lived more in the sticks like you, I might have a gun locker in the vehicle with a shorter pump action 12g with slugs all the time.
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