DuckCast

Cheyenne River and the Hills Duck Migration Forecast

Belle Fourche, the northern Hills and the Cheyenne breaks. The driest ground DuckCast scores, hunted on impoundments rather than marsh.

See today’s live scoreAll of SD

Season dates: South Dakota duck season 2026-27, dates and migration timing

When Cheyenne River and the Hills peaks

DuckCast’s season model puts the mallard peak here around mid November. Cheyenne River and the Hills carries its own season curve rather than sharing South Dakota's statewide one, because the timing here genuinely differs from the rest of the state. That is a modelled typical curve, not a prediction for any single year. The actual push depends on cold fronts and freeze-up upstream, which is what the daily score tracks. Always confirm season dates with South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks.

What DuckCast watches upstream of Cheyenne River and the Hills

3 upstream stations feed this region's freeze line: Dickinson, Williston, Bismarck. When those stations ice over, the score here starts climbing before anything changes in the local sky.

Locations stay generalized

Hunter reports for Cheyenne River and the Hills are always shown at the region level. DuckCast never collects or displays exact coordinates, so filing a report here never burns a spot.

Also covered in South Dakota

Prairie CoteauSand Lake and the Upper JamesGlacial LakesMid James ValleyBig Sioux CorridorLewis and ClarkOahe and the MissouriGrand River CountryLive migration map

Season dates and regulations change. Always verify with SD Game, Fish and Parks. DuckCast forecasts conditions, not legal seasons.