“I’m so pumped. Are you ready to get some birds?”

Ryan Loendorf repeated the words as he rode up to Freezeout Lake northwest of Great Falls to go on his first pheasant hunt. At his side was William Weickum. The two Helena High freshmen were part of a group of youths who headed out for an early game-bird hunt Saturday.

A total of 13 young people went on the Pheasants Forever youth mentor hunt, the first of its kind for the chapter. Helena’s Headwaters Chapter No. 563 and the Helena Valley Gun Dog Club teamed up to give kids the chance to hunt pheasants along the borders of the lake before pheasant season starts. For most kids, it was their first time.

The gun dog club supplied the dogs and quite a few mentors, and together HVGDC vice president Keith Myott and Headwaters president Greg Wirth made the hunt a reality. Both were pleased with the popularity of the event.

“I thought it went off well,” said Myott, also a member of Pheasants Forever. “The idea was to get kids that wouldn’t normally have an opportunity to hunt birds. It’s a ‘leave no youth indoors kind of thing.’ ”

The youths met last Thursday at the Helena Trap Club for a safety briefing and to practice their shooting.

“The trap club folks helped teach,” Wirth said. “They were absolutely great.”

After meeting in Helena Saturday, the group drove the 100-plus miles to Fairfield, where groups were divided up and sent off after the birds. Once out in the field, every kid had an adult mentor accompanying, offering advice on dog handling, gun safety, and what to possibly expect.

“The diversity of dogs was excellent,” Myott said. “The conditions were pretty good, and there were a lot of people from our (gun dog) club. Everyone got some quality time with the dogs.”

The group mostly hunted the land west of Freezeout, traversing the big fields of long grass and shrubs. The dogs led, followed by the youths. Behind them were the mentors, dog handlers and assorted family and friends.

“I like hunting and I like being outdoors. And most of my friends hunt,” said Weickum, who has had success hunting in the past. He walked away with a bird of his own Saturday.

For Ryan Loendorf, it was his first day looking for the big, colorful roosters. As the morning grew long, he still hadn’t taken a shot. Undaunted, he remained determined. It paid off later in the day, when he shot his first pheasant.

The kids bagged eight pheasants on the day, according to Wirth. Hunter Cross, 13, was the hot shooter, taking two pheasants. Six others shot well enough to take home game.

Saturday marked Cross’ first shots at a pheasant, though not his first shots in general. He’s already harvested an elk, three deer and a black bear.

“My cousins wanted me to come with,” said Cross. “I haven’t done it and wanted to do it.”

By all accounts, all the participants had fun.

“Everyone had a great time,” Wirth said. “We were having fun watching the kids have fun. We’re definitely doing it next year based on the success this year.”

The reasons for the early hunt were simple: Get kids, especially those with little opportunity to otherwise hunt pheasant, out in the field where they will likely find an abundance of unmolested birds. Groups like Pheasants Forever and the Helena Valley Gun Dog Club rely on new members, and every new hunter who enjoys the sport will eventually help, whether in monetary, conservationary or diplomatic ways.

“As experienced bird hunters, we want to be ambassadors to our sport,” said Wirth.

“We’re really trying to pass the baton,” Myott said. “We wanted a way for the kids to come out and learn.”

Copy editor Jason Scott: 447-4074 or jason.scott@helenair.com