--- title: Gun Dog Training From Davis | Royal Gun Dogs url: https://royalgundogs.com/from/davis/ business: Royal Gun Dogs trainer: Richard Gebhart (professional gun dog trainer since 2002) phone: (530) 341-4496 email: royalgundogs@yahoo.com trains_at: Hastings Island Hunting Preserve, 7758 Hastings Island Rd, Rio Vista, CA 94571 (Solano County) booking: call or text Richard directly --- - [Home](https://royalgundogs.com/) - [All of California](https://royalgundogs.com/from/) - [Sacramento Valley and Sierra foothills](https://royalgundogs.com/regions/sacramento-valley/) - Davis # Davis to Rio Vista: where the Yolo Bypass leads Rio Vista is about 56 minutes and 35 miles from Davis by road. Richard Gebhart trains gun dogs at Hastings Island Hunting Preserve in Rio Vista, reachable from Davis in under an hour. ## From Davis to Hastings Island - **Drive to Rio Vista:** about 56 minutes 35 miles, OpenStreetMap routing, no traffic - **County:** Yolo US Census Bureau - **Population:** 66,978 ACS 5-year 2024 - **Median age:** 26.4 ACS 5-year 2024 Drive estimate from road routing between town centers (no traffic), pulled October 2026. Census figures: American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Davis is a Yolo County city of 66,978 people with a median age of 26.4, one of the youngest in our set (Census ACS 5-year 2024). It sits beside one of the Central Valley's best-known floodplain wetlands. ## The Yolo Bypass next door Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area covers about 16,600 acres and about 7,900 acres are open to waterfowl and upland hunting. CDFW places it about 10 miles west of Sacramento next to Davis. Its page says dogs are not allowed, so plan your dog's training around other ground. That makes a training trip to Rio Vista more useful for a Davis hunter, since a dog needs exposure to cover, birds and water somewhere. ## Fifty-six minutes in numbers Measured with OpenStreetMap routing and no traffic. Fifty-six minutes in numbers Item Detail Drive to Rio Vista about 56 minutes Distance about 35 miles Training site Hastings Island Hunting Preserve Visit tip Call before driving out ## Young owners, first dogs Start with the [guide to choosing a gun dog trainer](https://royalgundogs.com/guides/choosing-a-gun-dog-trainer/), then read how the [starting age](https://royalgundogs.com/faq/what-age-to-start/) question is handled in the FAQ. When you are ready, [board-and-train](https://royalgundogs.com/programs/board-and-train/) is the program that lets Richard handle the day-to-day work while you learn at [handler lessons](https://royalgundogs.com/programs/lessons/). ## What the drive buys you An hour in the car is enough time to talk through the dog's progress. If you bring the dog down yourself, ask Richard whether a handler lesson can fit the same day. Richard teaches the handler as well as the dog. His philosophy is "Balance, encouraging the hunting drive and desire in the dog, coupled with the necessary 'team player' attitude to develop an exceptional hunting partner or competitive team." ## Beyond the bypass For ground where dogs are welcome, see Grizzly Island, where CDFW allows dogs on a 10-foot leash when you are not hunting, or the Delta pages on this site. The [Grizzly Island page](https://royalgundogs.com/grizzly-island-wildlife-area/) has the details. ## Birds, seasons and where to read about them CDFW lists Balance of State ducks as October 24, 2026 to January 31, 2027, but zones are set by county, so confirm yours on the CDFW zone map before planning around any date. Our [2026-27 seasons page](https://royalgundogs.com/data/california-seasons-2026-27/) collects the dates with their sources. Yolo Bypass is a short drive, but because it excludes dogs, your retriever's first real exposure to decoys, wind and wings often has to come from somewhere else. A preserve with planted birds is one answer, and Hastings Island is the preserve where Richard works. ### Sources (3) - California Department of Fish and Wildlife : [wildlife.ca.gov/Lands/Places-to-Visit/Yolo-Bypass-WA](https://wildlife.ca.gov/Lands/Places-to-Visit/Yolo-Bypass-WA) (checked October 27, 2026) - U.S. Census Bureau : [census.gov/data/developers/data-sets/acs-5year.html](https://www.census.gov/data/developers/data-sets/acs-5year.html) (checked October 27, 2026) - Hastings Island Hunting Preserve : [hihp.com/royal-gun-dogs-dog-training/](https://hihp.com/royal-gun-dogs-dog-training/) (checked October 27, 2026) ### Where Richard trains Hastings Island Hunting Preserve, 7758 Hastings Island Rd, near Rio Vista in Solano County. Call before you drive out. [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Hastings+Island+Hunting+Preserve+Rio+Vista+CA&destination_place_id=ChIJA_E9R8AphYAR_4YnvcqbaAU) ### Start here - [Board-and-train](https://royalgundogs.com/programs/board-and-train/) - [Private and group lessons](https://royalgundogs.com/programs/lessons/) - [Free training consult](https://royalgundogs.com/free-consult/) ### Your trainer Richard Gebhart has trained dogs professionally since 2002, learned the Rex Carr method for Retriever Basics under Billy Sargenti, and has run and qualified at an AKC Master National. [Meet Richard](https://royalgundogs.com/richard-gebhart/) ### Related - [Sacramento Valley and Sierra foothills](https://royalgundogs.com/regions/sacramento-valley/) - [Board-and-train](https://royalgundogs.com/programs/board-and-train/) - [From Woodland to Rio Vista](https://royalgundogs.com/from/woodland/) - [From Sacramento to Rio Vista](https://royalgundogs.com/from/sacramento/) ## Other drive times [Napa](https://royalgundogs.com/from/napa/)[Walnut Creek](https://royalgundogs.com/from/walnut-creek/)[Vallejo](https://royalgundogs.com/from/vallejo/)[Woodland](https://royalgundogs.com/from/woodland/)[Elk Grove](https://royalgundogs.com/from/elk-grove/)[Livermore](https://royalgundogs.com/from/livermore/)[Concord](https://royalgundogs.com/from/concord/)[Vacaville](https://royalgundogs.com/from/vacaville/) ## Questions from Davis owners [All questions](https://royalgundogs.com/faq/) ### How far is Rio Vista from Davis? About 56 minutes and 35 miles by road with no traffic. ### Can I train my dog at Yolo Bypass? CDFW's page for Yolo Bypass says no dogs. Use other ground for dog work. ### Is Davis in the same region as Sacramento? Yes. On this site Davis sits in the Sacramento Valley and Sierra foothills region, about 56 minutes from Rio Vista. The [Sacramento Valley page](https://royalgundogs.com/regions/sacramento-valley/) lists drive times for neighboring towns. ### Where can my dog see real hunting cover? In training with Richard at Hastings Island Hunting Preserve, or on your own at Grizzly Island on a 10-foot leash outside hunting hours. Check each property's current rules.