I recommend a .44mag Ruger Super Blackhawk hunter 7.5" bbl.

I like red dot scopes for handguns if you think you must glass them (fan of open sights). With my best SBH, I would be capable of taking a deer at 100-125yrds open sights supported, it' s terribly accurate, in my hands at least...off hand I' d probably cull it down to 50-75 yrds and great conditions.

The way you' re asking, it kind of seems like this will be your first handgun? In that case, the .44mag is pretty stout, but not uncontrollable, just get some .44spcl rounds to feed it until you get used to the gun (truth be told they' re probably stout enough to hunt with too, as long as you place them well). You couldn' t go wrong with a .357 or .41 mag either though, they recoil much less, but are still adequate deer rounds (the .41 much moreso than the .357, glassed and in the most skilled hands the .41' s a 100-125yrd max gun, the .357 is lucky to get 75yrds).