I prefer #2 when using steel for pheasants as it seems to do a better job reaching the vitals when given a going away shot. I'll use #3 steel but expect more birds to come down alive. #3 steel is my favorite for field shooting mallards but those are mostly frontal and side shots at close range. Add distance and a backbone to get through and a larger pellet works better for me.
This exactly.
A good load for pheasants is a 1 3/8 ounce 1300fps #2 steel. Or the standard 1 1/4 ounce load is fine.
