#2 shot, eh... copper-plated or pure lead? I know copperplated stuff gets less deformed, but as far as killing power, I can't see how there would be too much of a difference.
What choke do you use with those #2s?
Up in imperial valley, when I use #6, I always used improved cylinder as it was usually close range... the dog points em out, I flush it out and that's all she wrote. Down south of Mexacali, I used a modified choke, originally with the #6. But the birds there are smart. If a hen takes off in front of you, 2 or 3 more will take off farther down. And sure enough, at the end of the alf-alfa (spellcheck) feild, WAY out of range, up goes a rooster. Most of the shots I make are behind me down there. The little sob's aboutface, then try to fly behind me... number 6s kill them, but not efficently.