RE: .357 and 45 auto
I own and have shot both all my life and the question is sort of an apples and oranges type thing. Both will dang sure take care of you in the field and for protection in the woods, I'd give the .45 the edge there as well. A good .45 in the hands of someone competent with this pistol is about as safe as any pistol. People in the know carry them cocked and locked. Even then you are still TWO safeties away from the thing firing. A 230 gr hard ball load out of a .45 is a terrible thing to face. Tests have found them as effective on hogs as .44 magnum.
For concealed carry, the .45 probably has the edge. Either is more than enough gun. A snub nosed .357 is plenty to take down a person. The real problem with both guns in concealed use can be weight. A fully loaded .45 is a heavy gun even if otherwise it's pretty concealable. A revolver with 4 or 6 inch barrel is not very concealable on the average person...and they get heavy as well.
The biggest advantage the .357 has in your scenarios is it's a better hunting round by virtue of it's flatter trajectory, better sights, and increased speed. The .357 has not proven very effective against large bears.
Bottom line is you are pretty safe with either in most situations. Let personal preference decide. Some people just can't shoot a .45 worth a flip and for them it's obviously a bad choice.