Abstract: A vertical shotgun or rifle mount for hunting boats and the like includes a mounting bracket for holding a shotgun or rifle in a substantially vertical position with a muzzle of the shotgun or rifle pointing upward. The mounting bracket includes a first retaining means adjacent the base of the mounting bracket for receiving and holding the butt end of a shotgun or rifle stock and maintaining the butt end of the shotgun or rifle stock above the bottom of a boat and a second retaining means adjacent the upper end of the mounting bracket means for receiving and holding the receiver of a shotgun or rifle. The mounting bracket has a clamp or other securement device for securing the mounting bracket to the side of a hunting boat with the base of the mounting bracket above the bottom of the hunting boat and the upper end of the mounting bracket projecting above a gunnel of the side of the hunting boat less than twelve inches.