Oh, an anecdote I just recalled. I now sling my shotgun with 2 rounds in the magazine (plugged to limit capacity to comply with federal law) when I'm putting out decoys on a pothole. Reason, one morning I laid the shotgun in the salt grass and waded out to put out a spread. I hear splashing in the marsh, some talking, figure someone's lab is coming, but they'd scared up a HUGE hog and he stopped 20 feet from me in the darkness and stared. The flare stack at a nearby chemical plant was bright that morning and I could see the critter's menacing tusks in the light. I didn't know what to do, froze, gun's 20 yards away in the grass and I can't sprint in waders and mud.
Since then, I figure a couple of number 3 steels on me is better than being unarmed. I jumped up and waved my arms trying to look as big as possible and yelled at it and it grunted and moved on. Guess he didn't feel real threatened or something, had an escape route, and moved on. But, that shook me up a bit and I don't leave the shotgun in the grass until after sun up now. LOL The sling, of course, is essential for this.
I never quit duck hunting because it's just too much in my blood. I'll have to quit, I guess, when I can no longer physically do it, but at 62, I got bones that crack and joints that hurt, but Aleve still seems to work good enough.