This is a great question that got me to thinking, asked my dog and he was sticking his tongue out under the desert sun.
I live next to wilderness but travel to town once a week or so, so, my needs are different than most. Depending on the situation, I carry different platforms, calibers and bullet types as they relate to anticipated threats. Ergonomics, triggers and pointability are at the top of my list as they relate to toolset.
Working outside, in what passes for winter in Arizona, I may carry a M686+/6" in a shoulder rig because it's easier to access when wearing layered outing that zips/snaps as opposed lifting a coat for hip carry. The advantages of shoulder carry are magnified when operating the tractor or driving a vehicle, but a scandium 44 Special snub w/WFNs in a coat pocket complements any carry position. Most of the time a .38 Super is carried IWB/OWB when an over coat isn't worn, but that will be changing because the anticipated threat list is evolving.
The Super is very effective on coyotes at distance and fast charging pit bull breeds at short distances, it's the caliber that's been fired the most under duress.
The 1911 and Browning Hi-Power are some of the best platforms ever designed for pointability, those critical situations when there isn't time to use sights. I've lost count on the number of rattlers that I've shot behind the head, while both of us are moving, or they've coiled back to strike.
With increased hog and black bear activity, I'm changing to 10mm as a full time carry and ordered a custom 10mm railed Commander back in January. Hopefully, delivery will be soon. Things get crazy during the monsoon season, this year the monsoon rains began July 1 and we're still getting significant rainfall. About six weeks ago, a rancher (I visit with a couple a month) and his wife were preparing for bed when a black bear ripped off a bedroom window screen and started to enter their bedroom through the open window. A point blank head shot from a 357mag dazed the bear, the JHP failed to penetrate the skull, but it got up and walked away.
I'm also experiencing an increase in mountain lion confrontations at night when outside with dog, thus the requirement for a railed 1911. It's a bit unnerving to see a pair of big yellow eyes advancing, then pausing. A few days ago while operating the tractor, my German Shepherd (in a high fence pen) began barking aggressively, I kept looking around, but didn't see anything. After I finished cutting a few hours later, we went for a walk and he went to some fresh mountain lion scat that was on top of the tractor tire tracks. I never saw the big cat, apparently it didn't know it wasn't supposed to be under the 90°F sun.
With a Glock 20 (10mm) OWB loaded with 200gr WFNs @1220fps, I was prepared for hogs, but it would have fully penetrated the lion lengthwise had the situation arose. I've been in critical situations over years, but having a lion nearby while operating a large and noisy tractor is very unnerving.
