Shotguns off shooting sticks.

[Coyotes-R-Us]

We are getting back into the coyote groove. The big game season is about over, at least in most of my calling areas.
The damage hunt area the boy and I are on next month is in part of the areas we call but we can work around it I think.
My plan/ quest is to shotgun a few this year, with the new Stoeger.
Being old and fat I plan on only carrying the shotgun, and let the boy back me up. I have shot coyotes with a shotgun before and think it is the epitome of predator hunts. I do get a bit of an edge over the guy and a "Bird Gun" I shoot a 28" barrel with hand-rolled loads and an extreme ported choke. 70 yards is where I pattern the load and I have flattered dogs at near 90 yards.
That said, at some point, I want to put a red dot on it, it is tapped for mounts.
Here is the dilemma.
I always use shooting sticks with my rifle on a set and sit on a pad.
When I carry both out in the field I put the shotgun on my lap and cradle the rifle in the sticks. When I use the shotgun at times There is a LOT of movement and I get busted fast.
IF I leave the rifle in the truck, I could keep the shotgun on the sticks and my shoulder like I do the rifle. I don't think I would actually "Shoot" off the sticks but it would be up and on the shoulder.
Just lift it up and swing or whatever is needed should make for much less, fast movement.

I did notice when I was shooting ducks and swan there is a bit of a lag time between the action putting in a shell. It can't be a lot but there is some If a person thinks he will shoot as fast as his finger can pull the trigger your wrong on two points. First, you have to wait for the shell to move in AND there is still a lot of recoil you need to overcome for the next shot. With the 870 I can use the recoil to help pump in the next round as I look back for the target, I did shoot 4 coyotes on one charge. 5 came in so fast, and I started shooting when the first one hit the 30-yard mark, SO much luck involved, but it was neat to rewind in my head. I still have no idea where the fifth one went. Just a blur of noise fur grass and sky.
Anyway with the Stoeger, the picture stays a lot closer to be on target.

All that yapping sorry, would you use the sticks or relay on your blinding speed to shoulder the gun and shoot?

[Okanagan]

Great read!

You have way more experience than I do on this subject but you may be over thinking it, as we all tend to do.  Shooting off the sticks or not totally depends on the situation at the moment.  If a coyote stops and looks at you out 60 yards, and you are on the sticks, precision shoot him from the gun rest.  If two come running, closing fast then swinging away, rise and wing shoot them the way you would ducks.  It sounds like it is a matter of staying on the sticks or merely standing as you mount the gun and shoot off your hind legs.  Fun either way.  I really like a red dot on a shotgun when shooting terrestrials!

I know some carry both rifle and shotgun to a calling stand, and it has tempted me a time or two, but my limited experience observing friends  who have done so is that they would be better of taking one or the other, not both.  With enough practice and experience both can work, (and you have lots of experience).  But for the average hunter, deciding which to shoot, putting one down to pick up the other. etc. in the heat of the moment degrades that average hunter's performance. 

For a good many years I have been carrying a wooden walking stick when I hike or hunt anything.  I've shot several deer (and some called critters) off of such a stick, mostly with rifle but last year with a shotgun.  The mountain men apparently all used such a stick for their shooting, even in combat.  A couple of pro wolfers in Canada I know made every shot off of a homemade wooden rest each had made for himself.   One used a special stick and the other designed and made a simple but infinitely adjustable wooden packboad/shooting rest, that carried coyote hides after the shooting. 

[kyfuzzyface]

I have a Savage model 24V with a 12ga shoots 3 inch and inter-changeable chokes and a 223 on top
I dont use it much kinda heavy

[pitw]

With the shotgun I'd save the weight and only shoot free.

Fuzzfface, Ive had several of the over/under combos and they all seem to shoot the wrong freaking shell when I pull the trigger.

[kyfuzzyface]

With the shotgun I'd save the weight and only shoot free.

Fuzzfface, Ive had several of the over/under combos and they all seem to shoot the wrong freaking shell when I pull the trigger.

Yep,I have done that a time or too Barry