I do not go after wounded game at night, but I have gutted/quartered/deboned moose, elk, and mule deer in the dark. My rifle is beside me. We had a young grizzly come investigate but he kept his distance and we left a couple of minutes later. We had a spot light instead of a flashlight to find out what was making noises in the dark. When I went on my grizzly trip, I took a rifle and a pump shotgun with slugs. I took the same combo when I accompanied my hunting partner when he got the draw.