Jackson to Rio Vista: Amador County's route to a trained bird dog

Jackson, the Amador County seat, has 5,048 residents and a median age of 50.2 (Census ACS 5-year 2024). Of the five foothill towns in this set it has the shortest drive to Rio Vista, and a pointing-breed trial is listed in its county.

Closest in the foothills

At about 93 minutes for 62 miles, Jackson is nearer than Auburn or Placerville. That makes it workable for a half-day, with time left over to talk with Richard. Hours on Google run 8 AM to 2 PM Monday and Wednesday through Sunday and Tuesday is closed, so call first.

OpenStreetMap routing does not include traffic. Leave a cushion when you plan the arrival.

Pointing-breed events at Ione

The Northern California Brittany Club lists a pointing-breed field trial at Camanche Hills Hunting Preserve in Ione, also in Amador County, on the 2026 California calendar (bdarn.com, fetched October 27, 2026). An Amador owner can see one without crossing the state.

Watching a field trial is a good way to see what a finished pointing dog looks like. Look up the club's current dates on AKC Event Search, and read the California hunt test calendar page for other listings.

From watching to doing

If a trial convinces you that you want a pointing dog of your own, the Brittany page and the German Shorthaired Pointer page describe two popular upland breeds. Neither page says Richard accepts a given dog; ask him about yours.

Richard added pointers and other upland breeds to his work in 2013 under Steve Klassen at Blue Ridge Kennels. The Formal Gun Dog Training explains the approach.

Planning around hunting season

If you want the dog ready for fall, work backward from opening weekend and leave room for the owner lesson at the end. The off-season training calendar sketches what a California hunter can do between seasons. CDFW's 2026-27 season dates are posted on our seasons data page, and you should confirm your county on the CDFW zone map before you plan a hunt.

Using the stay well

A board-and-train stay keeps the dog with Richard through the program, so you do not drive back and forth. Learn more on the board-and-train page. Before pick-up, ask about handler lessons so the dog and handler learn together.