Home > A few words from the Outfitter

My earliest and fondest memories have always been those of the outdoors. Hunting and fishing in my home state was like a religion. We actually had days of school off. Barely old enough to walk I often found myself intently listening to the hunting stories told by my grandparents and family elders around the old , coal stove. I can recall as if it were yesterday wading streams with father. From that point on hunting, fishing and the outdoors seemed to be branded within me. My mother still thinks back to when she asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. My reply was always the same, "a mountain man". Of course, little did I know then that I would become an outfitter in the great state of Montana. As each year grew on me, so did the memories and knowledge gained from those in my life. Those were the people who were patient and caring I enough to take a little kid along.

Long before I ended up here, my youth was focused on the outdoors. Where I came from, we hunted for other reasons than many people do now. The taste of wild game was something more than mounts on a wall. It was often needed to get through the winter. I still remember those days in the woods as well as I remember the last time I guided a hunter here in Montana. I was taught a great respect for mother nature and wildlife, something that I fear is lost in today's world of computer games and hi tech living. I made a promise to never lose this way of life.

Although the Appalachian Mountains are more than 2000 miles away, what was instilled in me then has not changed. I has granted Jim and Lennae Klyap a dream come true, a passion that I live for every day. Not one day goes by that I do not truly appreciate this. The heritage of hunting has grown to be more than stories and good memories. I have now been able to take part in being an active member in the preservation of this great heritage. I am lucky enough to be able to share this with others, some who have never hunted elk and others who have hunted them for more than half a century. They have all now become a part of my life long learning. My deep respect for the land, the wildlife and hunting itself is something I continue to share and abide by in my own personal philosophies. I continue to hunt myself every chance I get. I am always listening, reading, and learning all I can. I have become a part of something in which the depth of knowledge really has no bottom, a calling I was meant for. I had heard that many professionals in this field see hunting as just a job. I was never worried about that.

It has become an addiction for me, and one that I try to spread to the guides who work with me. We all think the same way. Many hunters will ask why we guide. To us, it is like being able to hunt everyday and share in the excitement of it with others. I have had the opportunity to meet many people and go many places as a result of being an Outfitter. In these travels I have come to realize that the world of service has become very impersonal. Professionalism, character, integrity and common courtesy has become rare. This has made me realize that we may indeed be the last of a dying breed. This impersonal treatment has made me commit myself to keeping this great thing alive. You have my personal promise that you will be treated with respect and courtesy anytime you visit Dome Mountain Outfitters. It is our goal at Dome Mountain to take you away from the world and provide you with a service that is unmatched.

Everyone should take a vacation. We all work hard. There are a lot of choices out there for how you should spend your leisure time. There are amusement parks, beaches, golf courses, Disney World, and more. A hunting adventure is something you can bet will be more personal and individualized than most vacations. There is a feeling only a true hunter knows; it is that feeling that words really can't describe. You have probably been there. This is something we will never lose here at Dome Mountain Ranch. I sincerely hope you will give Dome Mountain Ranch an opportunity to provide you with the hunt of a lifetime.

Jim Klyap
Outfitter #7843