We have several shotguns - I love to skeet shoot with them on my property in KY.  We are openly armed when riding our 4-wheelers on the property - we've had things stolen when we aren't there and there are too many trespassers.  LOL - it is amazing how polite trespassers are when a woman rides up to them with a pistol on her hip!  I've only had to draw it once and that was when we woke up to hear voices outside our remote cabin.  Turned out to be some older teens who claimed not to know anyone was there.  Never pointed the gun at them, but had it in my hand when we shined the floodlight on them and yelled to freeze.

Mostly we collect them, but I do sleep at home with a gun in my nightstand... I have heard noises before when I was home alone and certainly carried it while walking to double check all the doors.

However - when we know the grandkids are coming to visit - the guns get taken out of the nightstands, unloaded, and put away somewhere high!

Sorry Jackie!  My cousin (age 35) killed himself a year ago with a shotgun.  My aunt is now just a shell of the woman she used to be.  She doesn't live anymore--she just makes it through each day.  

Testify!