you put the sights on the target and pull the trigger. its not ****ing rocket science.
I'm not going to say that not patterning your shotgun is negligent or anything like that, but I find this statement odd.
Do you test your handguns to see if they hit what you're aiming at? Do you sight in your rifle? Why wouldn't you pattern the Shotgun (or at least train/practice at the range at the same distance you intend to shoot it for self defense and therefore seeing the pattern)?