Mark,
I don't hunt from a boat a lot, but when I did, I would have a dedicated and secure place for the gun while moving and another while hunting. Just throwing it on top of the decoy bags ro balancing it in my lap or propped against the gunwales was not good. If your boat is big enough to allow it, you might even build a "wagon box" case for it.

If you have safe places for it at all times that you are not actually working so birds, it will be a whole bunch safer and less beat up.

_________
BrentD, (Professor - just for Stan)
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