# A shotgun in your lap?



## Perry Stalker (Jul 8, 2012)

There might already be a thread on this topic but I couldn't find one so here we go:
In addition to your rifle, are you using a shotgun for "close combat" when calling predators?


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## Weasel (Jun 18, 2012)

Quite often I'll carry both rifle and shotgun. In those cases I'll usually hold the shotgun in my hands and place the rifle next to me.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

Sometimes but generally one or the other all depending on the terrain.


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## Ruger (Jan 22, 2011)

I usually carry shotgun and rifle to a stand. Too many time I have left the shotgun in the truck and could have really used it.


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## bones44 (Jan 7, 2011)

I bring my shotgun 50% of the time by itself. We have alot thickets here where yotes seem to hang in the winter. Have a Savage 24 O/U should be helpful this year.

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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

I rarely carry a shotgun. but i try to set up where i have ample vision.


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## Hellbilly1373 (May 12, 2012)

I only use a shotgun, the terrain up here is really thick and the yotes dont like to break cover, they'll come to the edges of a clearing, which is still in range for the scatter gun.


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## Rick Howard (Feb 25, 2012)

If I am hunting with a buddy. I take the shotgun he takes the rifle. If I am alone or not close to my partner I take the rifle. Also I don't think NY allows you to carry 2 guns afield. I have not looked it up but I hate to carry lots of stuff. I like to carry as little as possible. carrying 2 guns would drive me nuts. LOL.


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## Rick Howard (Feb 25, 2012)

Carrying a sack of rocks would be worse!


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## poe (Feb 10, 2010)

It depends on the stand I usually have it in the truck and if Im not far from the truck Ill take it but Im a big fan of the fewer things I have to carry the better. I also hunt a lot of wide open spaces so 99 percent of my shots are take with the rifle. I do feel however that it is a good tool to pack with me. I usuall have my rifle infront of me on my sticks with my shotgun running along my leg with the barrel resting on my foot making sure its sticking far enough past my foot just to be safe. I find I can then line up my rifle with little movement and if I need the shotgun all I have to do is pick it up and shoot.


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## songdogshooter41 (Jul 14, 2012)

I take my shot gun when I take my boys. When I hunt alone, its strictly rifle. But when I have my two boys (6 and 4) with me, my oldest has the .22, I have the.22-250 savage and the 870 tact.12 gauge. My boys are usually only 10 - 15 yards away from me and in view. I have had too many lectures from "mommy" about what-if senarios. To ease her mind, and mine too, I take my "back-up".

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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Welcome to the forum songdogshooter41


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## poe (Feb 10, 2010)

happy to hear you take your kids. Its great to hear about kids getting started calling dogs that young. Welcome to the forum


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## Antlerz22 (Apr 18, 2011)

Welcome to PT songdogshooter41.


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## Ruger (Jan 22, 2011)

Welcome to the site songdogshooter41, keep taking your kids!


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## Perry Stalker (Jul 8, 2012)

Thanks for your replies. So some of you bring one, some don't. It seems like the terrain has a lot to do with it. I don't use one either, but had a situation last year that got me thinking. I was set up just above a creek, overlooking a clear cutting. I was hoping to get a fox out on the clearing but of course he came trotting on the frozen over creek. A shotgun in my hands had sealed the deal.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

Welcome to PT songdogshooter41.


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## bones44 (Jan 7, 2011)

Great topic Perrystalker. Welcome Songdogshooter ! I've bet there have been many out there who wish they had a shotgun at one time or another. I've heard quite a few stories where that's been mentioned. LOL Me being one of them. If I'm hunting with a partner one of us always has a shotgun and the other a rifle just in case. I'm trying to rethink alot of my strategies lately to hunt smarter in the thickets instead of open fields at all here. Trying different loads is going to be top priority this year as my new turkey gun doesn't like some of them like my old 870 does.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Ya I know I have to start packing the shotgun also as I've had 5 dogs show up twice now and a scope on 6 power just doesn't cut it.


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## fr3db3ar (Aug 6, 2011)

I never take a shotgun, but then again I don't much care for shotguns. There's more of a chance that I need to shoot it further than closer.

Less gear is better IMO. I already carry too much IMO.

Welcome aboard SDS41


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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

It depends on the terrain for me, if I take my 204, I usually take a shotgun along also . If I am going in the forest I take my R-15 which has a scope plus a micro dot mounted at an angle for the close up shots


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## Furtaker (Dec 11, 2010)

Here in the brush country in Tx I have found myself using the shotgun more than the rifle. I would be ok with not taking a rifle in some stands I make,


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## poe (Feb 10, 2010)

hassell said:


> Ya I know I have to start packing the shotgun also as I've had 5 dogs show up twice now and a scope on 6 power just doesn't cut it.


another reason why I like my 3x9 scope. However I still hate it when I go to shoot and forgot it on 9. Do you find that 6 power is usually fine as long as you pack the shotgun.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

poe said:


> another reason why I like my 3x9 scope. However I still hate it when I go to shoot and forgot it on 9. Do you find that 6 power is usually fine as long as you pack the shotgun.


Thats just it , I have never packed the shotgun and have had dogs in my lap, always on 6 power, even on shots over 300, looking at 2 power for low end, 2.5x10 Vortex is what I have the old eyes set on!!!


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## JLowe69 (Nov 30, 2011)

This year when I'm hunting quail or dove I plan on a predator set up last thing before going back to the vehicle(pm hunts), or first thing before tromping all over.(am hunts) That way I can just put my orange in my backpack put on my mask and gloves, change the round in the chamber and the one next up. I plan on trying gutting a bird or two for feathers and sent near the caller too. Last year we had four 'yotes come in at first light when dove hunting, we heard them howling and answered just by imitating them, I was quite surprised when they popped out at about 60 yds. but of course that was before I thought to bring along some #4 buck so no shots just more education, for all involved. This year I will be ready though.


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## SHampton (Apr 20, 2012)

Every stand. Shotgunned 4 this week, 3 on video.


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## Varmintnv (Aug 17, 2012)

I have only carried a shotgun on stand one time. We were hunting a wildlife area south of town and it's shotguns only. We killed a dog that stand, but never went back. I've only had one time where I wished I'd had a shotgun. We hunted a real thick sagebrush area and visibilty was pretty bad inside of 100yds. I figured that we'd see one coming in and would stop it before it got too close. Well one snuck in and I didn't see it coming. First time I knew a coyote was in the area was when his head got above the bush 2ft in front of me as he jumped. Sucker landed right in my lap!! LOL Needless to say, we were both very surprised!! He ran about 15yds behind me and my partner killed it with a shotgun. Afterwards we were talking about what had just happened when my partner noticed the dusty footprint on my .22-250!! Until then he didn't believe the coyote actually landed in my lap.


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## Antlerz22 (Apr 18, 2011)

Dang!!!! you missed your chance to knife him like rambo!! LOL


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## Varmintnv (Aug 17, 2012)

True!! But I got a golden opportunity to clean out my shorts!! LOL Was not expecting a close encounter of the first kind!!


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## Rich Cronk (Feb 24, 2010)

I know that quite a few callers carry both shotgun and rifle to their stands, but I ain't one of them. If I did that, I would likely have the wrong coyote whacker in my hands when the coyote showed up. I have never known a coyote that was willing to wait while a man fiddles around to change guns. To each his own though.


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