Never bought a shotgun, but the first one I ever hunted with was my Dad's double barrel 12 gauge Stevens. He let me practice with it when I was 12, and man that thing kicked like a mule. That gun still kicks...it hurts my shoulder to fire buckshot out of it.
Hunted quail after the deer hunts were over when I was a kid. Would go back to where the drivers had flushed coveys earlier during the deer hunt. Had a nice Ithaca Featherlight auto 12 gauge (modified choke). After the deer hunt, it was quail and squirrels for me.
Udie, be careful about firing slugs from that shotgun, i.e. don't do it. As someone said earlier, some shotguns aren't made for 'em.
Les