I used to carry a .44 mag revolver and my rifle for those situations… I shot one buck with a revolver and it was while still hunting—found him in his bed. I stopped carrying both guns as it wasn’t worth the weight! I do stick an air weight S&W .38 in my pocket — that’s for biped sphincters if things go sideways while my rifle isn’t loaded (gutting, dragging, in and out of the woods). The property I hunt is now posted so that problem seems to be gone… There is a history of encounters—hunter harassment, trespassers stealing trees, and other stupid stuff.
BTW, the managing trustee for the property found out who the trespasser is. A friend of a friend of the owner. The trustee dealt with it.