As you probably know from other threads, the 357 is considered marginal for deer. That said, people consider the 243 maginal in a rifle for deer. I like the 243. Not my first choice though. For night stand use, I would get a 357 revolver with a 4" barrel and load it with 38spl +P's (125 gr. HP's). A 4" revolver is normally considered the shortest barrel length for hunting. Some states actually require a longer barrel-5" or longer. If the use is primarily for defensive purposes, the 4" points the easiest. If you lean more heavily toward field use, go with a 6". For normal whitetail hunting in the woods where your typical shot is under 50 yards, it should be okay with good shot placement into the chest area. The margin of error is less when you use a 357 which is why folks recommend larger calibers for deer hunting. I like the 41 magnum over a 44, but I'm strange. The last two seasons, I have carried a 480 Ruger 9.5" SRH revolver off and on as the primary gun. No shots. I'm still a wana-bee when it comes to scoring a whitetail buck with a handgun. Look forward to it again this season and may just leave the rifle at home and carry either the 41 mag or 480.
I see a lot of folks place the exact thread on multiple forums. Sometimes I answer both before I realize they came from the same person.