[wwbirds]

Depends? If I am gone for any length of time they are locked up in safe which Po'd my son while I was in Ontario for he didn't have access and a couple times the coyotes walked across the south field while I was away.
If just a quick trip to town or city I leave at least one out if he is home.
don't bother with trigger locks for same access reason I dont keep in safe during coyote season. Bolt and ammunition are stored separately but "family" knows where everything is if needed. Farms have different safe storage requirements so we generally have to have one or another firearm "reasonably" available so long as an adult is present.
Might be rifle or shotgun depending on time of year and target species i.e. sparrows, starlings, magpies, crows, coyotes etc
I feed hundreds of gamebirds daily but prefer feeding the lead option for the varmints/pests.
Rob