Alturas to Rio Vista: 6.8 hours from Modoc County

Alturas, the Modoc County seat, has 2,681 residents and a median age of 45.3 (Census ACS 5-year 2024). It is the smallest town in this batch and one of the farthest from the Delta.

How far it really is

About 326 miles and 6.8 hours is the longest drive in this batch. Count on most of a day each direction, not a morning. OpenStreetMap routing supplies the figure and assumes no traffic or weather.

For that reason a trip to Rio Vista should be planned around one clear purpose. Call Richard about drop-off and pick-up from Modoc County, then plan the rest around what he says. Google lists his hours as 8 AM to 2 PM Monday and Wednesday through Sunday, closed Tuesday.

Modoc National Wildlife Refuge

Modoc National Wildlife Refuge covers about 7,000 acres in northeastern California and runs a 2026-27 waterfowl season with self-service check-in cards. Access is on foot or by non-motorized cart only, and sandhill cranes, snow geese and tundra swans use it (USFWS).

Hunting on foot or by cart means a dog does a lot of walking and often works from the shore. A dog that can mark a fall, take a line across open water and deliver cleanly will get more out of those days. The line manners guide explains the basics.

Board-and-train for the far north

The dog stays with Richard through board-and-train, and he decides the plan for each dog, with program lengths and weekly rates published. Ask him what he recommends for drop-off and pick-up from Modoc County.

A lesson at pick-up is worth asking about. handler lessons show you how to give the same commands the dog learned at Hastings Island, so the training carries into a Modoc County blind.

Seasons and rules

Refuges publish their own seasons, permits and access rules, and they change from year to year. For statewide dates, the 2026-27 seasons page summarizes CDFW's posted dates, and CDFW's regulations booklet is the legal source. Check both before you plan a hunt, and confirm your county on the CDFW zone map.

Where to start reading

Browse the Basic Waterfowl Program and the breeds hub to match your dog. If you ever plan to enter a hunt test, the first hunt test guide explains how to start.