Lol!! That's actually quite funny. It worked though! My father did something similar. He would set up a pumpkin about 15 yards from him, load his shotgun with a slug shot, and blast that pumpkin to kingdom come!! There was pumpkin EVERYWHERE!
Then, the next time, he'd let us use the 20 gauge and even that left bruises!!
My uncle did the same with me, only it was a semi auto .308 a stump and a battle pack.
Most fun I have ever had removing a stump, but also impressed upon me why guns are serious business.