Folsom to Rio Vista: a gun dog plan for the foothills

Folsom, in Sacramento County, is home to 83,916 people with a median age of 41.0 (Census ACS 5-year 2024). It sits where the valley begins to rise toward the Sierra foothills.

Which way do Folsom hunters head?

CDFW's 2024 Waterfowl Hunter Survey reports that 42 percent of respondents named Sacramento Valley counties for waterfowl hunting, and Folsom is a short drive from the valley floor. The survey also reports that 53.3 percent of respondents mainly hunt public land.

Public land is crowded land. A dog that stays steady while others shoot, covered in the steady-to-shot guide, is easier to hunt with and safer for everyone around it.

Cameron Park is nearby

The California Retriever Training Association, a training and field trial club, is listed in Cameron Park, east of Folsom along Highway 50. It owns grounds at Denverton and elsewhere, according to club listings. If you want to meet other retriever people before booking a program, a club is a good starting place.

The drive, step by step

1. Call Richard first. Hours on Google are Monday and Wednesday through Sunday, 8 AM to 2 PM. Call first; he sets drop-off times by phone and prefers Wednesday to Saturday.
2. Plan about 95 minutes each way with no traffic. Weekday commutes add to that.
3. Bring the dog's records and ask what else to pack; the what-to-bring FAQ has the usual list.
4. Ask about a handler lesson so you can run the dog yourself after it comes home.

A program for a longer drive

Because Rio Vista is not around the corner, board-and-train lets the dog stay with Richard while the work happens at Hastings Island. Pair it with handler lessons so that training does not stop at the driveway.

Public land and a dog's manners

Statewide, 53.3 percent of surveyed waterfowl hunters mainly hunt public land, where blinds and walk-in areas are shared. Good manners are not optional there: a dog that breaks, whines or steals another hunter's bird spoils the day for everyone.

Richard's programs build the habits behind those manners. The line manners guide shows the behaviors, and the Basic Waterfowl Program is where they begin.

What a Folsom owner might ask

Many questions are about timing. If you want a dog ready for a specific opener, call well before the opener so there is time to plan. The off-season training calendar gives a sense of what each month is for.