Family-run hunting lodge
creates decades of connections
Rocky Ridge Retreat, a family-owned hunting lodge in Gregory, serves customers from across the country and keeps them coming back. Third-generation owner Brock Sinclair guides hunters across South Dakota’s vast plains, with some returning every year since the lodge opened in 1996.
“It’s really not about getting your limit going out there and shooting the birds, it’s more about the camaraderie that comes with the experience,” Brock says. “We still host my parents’ first ever customers. People start out as customers but after a few year you develop a friendship with them; it’s very personable.”
Sharing decades hunting
As a full-service hunting outfitter, Rocky Ridge Retreat specializes in pheasant hunts and offers summertime prairie dog hunts. Customers come from around the country to enjoy guided hunts with home-cooked meals throughout the experience.
Guides take groups of 10 to 20 people hunting on the Sinclair family’s land. This area between Gregory, Winner, and Chamberlain is called the ‘Golden Triangle’ for its high Chinese ring-necked pheasant population.
“We have a 99% retention rate and host about 25 groups of pheasant hunters each season,” Brock says. “Our customers really appreciate it being a family-owned business from the start when my folks started Rocky Ridge Retreat in 1996.”
Hometown hospitality
As a child, Brock walked the fields with his father during guided hunts before taking up hunting himself at age 12. While he grew up in Gregory, Brock moved to Rapid City in 2014. He lived there for nine years before returning to Gregory.
Brock bought the business in 2023 when his parents, Ed and Leanne, wanted to step away from running the lodge full time. He saw it as an opportunity to return home and make a living doing something he enjoys. His parents and his brother, Blair, help guide hunters and prepare meals for them alongside Brock.
Brock’s grandmother, Vicki Coe, operated the family’s first hunting lodge near Colome until 2008. Nearly 20 years later, some of Vicki’s customers still return and share stories about their time with her.
“I enjoy being in the community here and there’s something to be said for small-town hospitality,” Brock says. “It’s nice walking into a business or establishment and seeing a familiar face. People always appreciate how accommodating and nice people are in the community.”
Steady internet and support
Although families and relatives make up many of Rocky Ridge Retreat’s guests, Brock says business trips are also common. They often use the lodge’s internet connection provided by Golden West to hold meetings or work together during their stay.
“They utilize the internet and will be in the trophy room of the lodge on their computers getting a pretty good use of the internet here,” Brock says. “The internet is essential, and Golden West’s customer service is spot on.”
Photo credit: Brody Boes
