i zero my 480 and 50 ae 1" high at 75 yards, and then spend a lot of time practicing out to 150 yards - and don't neglect the short shots, either, because w/ a 75 yard zero it is possible to shoot right over a deer's back at 30 or 40 yards.
you will be surprised at how quickly you can become proficient at longer ranges w/ a good handgun. you will also be surprised at how difficult it is to steady the pistol in the field for a shot - so practice w/ field rests. i'll never forget my first handgun hunt, and how i almost couldn't get the shot off because it was so hard to hold that heavy gun steady (7.5" ruger srh). a note about long range handguns... pay attention to how much energy they truly deliver on target. since i don't shoot a 44 mag i have zero knowledge of its capabilities, but i do know the 480 and 50 ae run out of ethics at about 125-150 yards...
i run a scope on my srh, and regret it... too hard to use for hunting. i run a red dot on the desert eagle and really like that, and my not-big-bore hunting handguns run factory irons and consider them to be viable 50 yard guns.
good luck!