I'm assuming that if you thought there was even a slight probability of a dangerous run in with these folks, that you would simply avoid the area.
With that assumption stated, I have to view the question as a variation of "would you bring a pistol to a semi-auto rifle fight?"
My answer to that would be "no."
If I realistically expected to get in a gun fight while hunting public ground, I'd go fishing instead. Not kidding.
From a theoretical standpoint, if pressed to pick a weapon that would both allow me to hunt deer, AND allow me to fight long enough to break contact if I ran into these poachers...I'd simply hunt with a semi auto AR style gun chambered in .308. And since fire superiority matters...I'd bring 10 extra mags, which would hopefully be enough to let me keep some heads down while I beat a very, very hasty retreat. If I had three really good friends who like to hunt I'd bing them with me and we'd be a fire team. And if I had 11 friends, they'd all come and we could hunt as a squad.
Long before I did that though...I'd hook up my boat. I don't need gunfights in my hunting life.
With that assumption stated, I have to view the question as a variation of "would you bring a pistol to a semi-auto rifle fight?"
My answer to that would be "no."
If I realistically expected to get in a gun fight while hunting public ground, I'd go fishing instead. Not kidding.
From a theoretical standpoint, if pressed to pick a weapon that would both allow me to hunt deer, AND allow me to fight long enough to break contact if I ran into these poachers...I'd simply hunt with a semi auto AR style gun chambered in .308. And since fire superiority matters...I'd bring 10 extra mags, which would hopefully be enough to let me keep some heads down while I beat a very, very hasty retreat. If I had three really good friends who like to hunt I'd bing them with me and we'd be a fire team. And if I had 11 friends, they'd all come and we could hunt as a squad.
Long before I did that though...I'd hook up my boat. I don't need gunfights in my hunting life.