I have rights to some property up in the Mtns of VA that we hunt every year. There is no cellphone reception so calling for help if something were to happen is not possible. We drive in and set up camp, and there is a little cabin there but it isnt much. While I am out there I pretty much hunt from dusk till dawn everyday. We are usually out there for at least a week and hunt all over the several hundred acres including the National Forest. Due to the fact that the property is mostly wooded there aren't too many long shots, so a scoped hunting rifle isn't necessary.
I am not your traditional hunter as in I don't just hunt deer. I generally hunt whatever is in season and that I have a good shot at. I like the idea of using this setup because it will allow me to head off into the woods with a sidearm and one or two long guns without carrying too much weight. The shotgun is perfect for killing flying things and it is generally what I have at ready when walking through the woods. One barrel of #6magnum and the other loaded with buckshot. Once I get setup in a spot I will usually set down the shotgun and hunt with my rifle. I have been doing it this way for years, but with my 06, shotgun and my .22pistol. The only thing I take with me into the woods, other than my firearms, is a knife, flashlight, canteen, a lighter, and maybe a couple of granola bars. Other than that I might have a few extra rounds stuffed into various pockets and what not.
I know it probably sounds a bit excessive, but I have been lost before and understand the importance of having the means to survive. This setup allows me take various types of game without ruining the meat. Lightly loaded .38spl is perfect for taking small game while the heavy .357s will drop any large animal that might come into to play. The setup is really not that bulky with the revolver on the hip, the rifle swung over the back, and shotgun in hand ready to go. It is no where near as heavy as my 30-06, Savage 511 (28in double)and .22pistol but just as versatile if not more so.