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.
My boat is pretty small (9' Aquapod), so there isn't a whole lot of room for the gun once I get my dekes in the boat. Great idea with the case however. I think I'll probably just get a utility duck gun in the offseason so I don't have to worry about it too much.
