I've got another option to consider.
Instead of the excellent little SP-101, consider finding a Ruger Speed-Six, Service-Six or Security-Six.
The SP-101 is fine for street use, but for outdoors you need something with more punch. The discontinued models (above) are still available on the used gun market, and you can still get them in excellent shape.
I wouldn't feel comfortable using the SP-101 against cougars, bears and other ornery animals. I had a friend who was out checking posts on his father-in-law's ranch. At about 60 yards he saw a cougar drop out of a tree and charged him straight on. He quickly drew his Dan Wesson 4-inch revolver and squeezed of a shot. The cougar went down. This was in broad daylight and he thought the incident was unusual, so he cut off the cat's head and sent it to the Center for Disease Control in Denver. The news came back: It was rabid. My friend said shooting that beautiful animal was the hardest thing he's ever done, but it was already dead, and he had no intention of going with it.
The .357 is a wonderfully versatile caliber, and it will lay out a human almost a hundred percent of the time with the right caliber (125gr JHP). For heavier, more robust animals, though, you'll want something a little heavier, such as a 140gr JHP or even a 158gr JSP. Putting that fodder into an SP-101 is possible, but not practical. A Speed-Six with a 3-inch barrel carries six rounds vice five, and offers a little more weight and better sight picture.
Check their reputation out on this forum. A lot of people have both guns.
Good luck!
The SP-101 is too small to be a good trail or camp gun. Still, it will be
better than nothing. The larger Speed-Six holds six rounds instead of
five, and it's easier to shoot well.
The Security-Six is tough, plus it has adjustable sights! The grips on
these models have been rounded. The 4-inch model (top) is considered
ideal for home defense and outdoor use. It's what I carry on road
trips, as the .357 caliber will punch through tires and automobile
bodies. That's why the Highway Patrol loved it back in the early '30s.
The 3-4-inch revolvers they carried with heavy .38spc loads often
wouldn't penetrate the car bodies.
This Speed-Six is a rugged revolver which was once popular with
police. The fixed sights are fine for defensive use, and this gun is
great for outdoors. It also comes with rounded grips.
.