Choosing a handgun over a longgun? [Scenario]

As we get back into hunting season, I wanted to pick your brains about a scenario I had last year. TLDR at bottomMy father and I were grouse hunting in the north woods and had parked the truck up by a designated grouse trail in a ruffed grouse management area. We finished the trail and were heading back when a guy on a four wheeler starts coming down the trail. He stops about 100 yards away from us, then drives behind us a ways, and then slowly approaches us from behind again.He pulls up right next to us and strikes up a conversation, very clearly agitated and I notice he's armed:Him: That your truck at the start of the path?Me: YepHim: That's just about on my property.Me: Just about, so it's not. (shouldn't have been snarky here)Him: [Repeats that we're almost on his property and that he hates people on his property and how he's looking for people who were riding 4 wheelers on his property]Me: Well I haven't seen them sorry- and walk away.This is when it gets scary- he starts coasting slowly behind us, just 4 feet or so following us the 2 miles back to the car. He doesn't talk, just watches us from behind on his ATV and again, he's really mad.My dad and i both start getting nervous, the guy is fuming and I try to walk angled so I always have an eye on him. Luckily, I see a branch of the trail and say loudly "Oh we didn't do that path" and we both hurriedly go off on the narrow path that the ATV would have trouble on. Finally lost him.The thing that's been weighing on my mind is that if the situation went hot we had two options to engage. We had our shotguns, 12ga pump loaded with three rounds of birdshot (#8 I think) but we both had our handguns as well (Beretta 92 and 357 wheelgun). I know the conventional wisdom is that longguns are superior to handguns, but I'm wondering your thoughts on if that holds when we're talking about birdshot against a guy wearing heavy winter clothing. Obviously, the benefit of already holding the gun is significant, but assuming you could prepare somewhat for the encounter, would anyone choose the handgun? Or for that matter, if speed were not a factor here, would it be unreasonable to choose the handgun?My gut would be to use the shotguns to engage/get to cover and draw the handguns if needed. I'd appreciate any input.TLDR: Iffy character encountered when hunting with pump shotguns with light bird loads (and only 3 rounds). Also have SD handguns readily available. Which do you choose if SHTF? via /r/CCW https://ift.tt/353JG83