I recently learned that I will need nontoxic shot for the area where we will be hunting pheasant, next month. I assume that you have to step up in shot size when using steel, as we do for waterfowl. I have quite a bit of waterfowl steel loads in #2 and #3. Any thoughts on using these loads on pheasants?

You’re in the ball park. I used #4’s and #5’s in lead. #6’s worked but were on the light side. I have friends that still go chasing roosters and speak well of the Prairie Storm stuff in that size shot for pheasant.

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.

A dose of 1 1/4 oz of #2 steel does the deed

Rule of thumb 2 sizes bigger than lead. Works pretty good, or go to the denser non-toxic. I pheasant hunt on private or walk-in where lead is allowed but have bismuth in the truck in case I need non-toxic, can't shoot steel in the O/U. Been carrying the same shells for years. Tom Roster's 2016 Nontoxic Shot Lethality Table

It all depends. Hunted with a friend who liked steel BB for pheasants. 20 ga. no less. They all dropped like a rock. Harry was an excellent shot.

What's the reason for the no-tox requirement? Public ground with wild birds or are you at a preserve? Makes a difference.

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.

Yep, just killed some with #2 steel. Thought I had grabbed 4s but figured the 2s would work. They did. Whenever I pointed them well lol.

No more than I hunt pheasants, I just bite the bullet and pay the price for some Kent Bismuth. Has worked well for me and a box lasts me a lot longer than I wish it did...