--- title: Dog Training From Jackson, CA | Royal Gun Dogs url: https://royalgundogs.com/from/jackson/ 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/) - Jackson # Jackson to Rio Vista: Amador County's route to a trained bird dog Rio Vista is about 93 minutes and 62 miles from Jackson by road. Richard Gebhart trains bird dogs at Hastings Island Hunting Preserve, and dogs come to him from all over California for board-and-train. ## From Jackson to Hastings Island - **Drive to Rio Vista:** about 93 minutes 62 miles, OpenStreetMap routing, no traffic - **County:** Amador US Census Bureau - **Population:** 5,048 ACS 5-year 2024 - **Median age:** 50.2 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. 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](https://royalgundogs.com/hunt-tests/california-calendar/) for other listings. ## From watching to doing If a trial convinces you that you want a pointing dog of your own, the [Brittany page](https://royalgundogs.com/breeds/brittany/) and the [German Shorthaired Pointer page](https://royalgundogs.com/breeds/german-shorthaired-pointer/) 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](https://royalgundogs.com/programs/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](https://royalgundogs.com/guides/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](https://royalgundogs.com/data/california-seasons-2026-27/), 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](https://royalgundogs.com/programs/board-and-train/) page. Before pick-up, ask about [handler lessons](https://royalgundogs.com/programs/lessons/) so the dog and handler learn together. ### Sources (3) - Bird Dog & Retriever News : [bdarn.com/ca/trialtests/](https://www.bdarn.com/ca/trialtests/) (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) - American Kennel Club : [akc.org/sports/pointing-breeds/hunt-tests/](https://www.akc.org/sports/pointing-breeds/hunt-tests/) (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 Placerville to Rio Vista](https://royalgundogs.com/from/placerville/) - [Brittany](https://royalgundogs.com/breeds/brittany/) ## Other drive times [Roseville](https://royalgundogs.com/from/roseville/)[Folsom](https://royalgundogs.com/from/folsom/)[Fremont](https://royalgundogs.com/from/fremont/)[Turlock](https://royalgundogs.com/from/turlock/)[San Francisco](https://royalgundogs.com/from/san-francisco/)[Petaluma](https://royalgundogs.com/from/petaluma/)[Santa Rosa](https://royalgundogs.com/from/santa-rosa/)[Williams](https://royalgundogs.com/from/williams/) ## Questions from Jackson owners [All questions](https://royalgundogs.com/faq/) ### How far is Rio Vista from Jackson? About 93 minutes and 62 miles by road without traffic. ### Are there pointing-breed events near Jackson? The California calendar lists a Northern California Brittany Club field trial at Camanche Hills Hunting Preserve in Ione. Confirm dates on AKC Event Search. ### Do I have to pick a breed first? No. Call Richard with your hunting goals and he will talk through breeds and plans. ### Can I see the dog during training? Ask Richard about visits. He sets the plan and schedule by phone.