--- title: Gun Dog Training From Monterey | Royal Gun Dogs url: https://royalgundogs.com/from/monterey/ 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/) - [Central Coast](https://royalgundogs.com/regions/central-coast/) - Monterey # Monterey and Rio Vista: a retriever from the bay to the Delta Rio Vista is about 3.1 hours and 145 miles from Monterey by road. Richard Gebhart trains gun dogs at Hastings Island Hunting Preserve there, and dogs come to him from all over California for board-and-train. ## From Monterey to Hastings Island - **Drive to Rio Vista:** about 3.1 hours 145 miles, OpenStreetMap routing, no traffic - **County:** Monterey US Census Bureau - **Population:** 29,613 ACS 5-year 2024 - **Median age:** 37.5 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. Monterey, a city of about 30,000 with a median age of 37.5 (Census Bureau), faces the Pacific. The retriever hunt test series that carries the Central Coast name is held a long way inland, and this page explains where. ## Three hours, give or take OpenStreetMap routing measures about 145 miles and about 3.1 hours with no traffic. Add time for real-world conditions. This is a long day each way, and it sits in the long-drive tier. You would drive to Rio Vista once to drop the dog and once to collect it, plus any [handler lesson](https://royalgundogs.com/programs/lessons/) you choose to add. ## A retriever hunt test with the region's name The Central Coast Hunting Retriever Club of California lists a retriever hunt test at the California Retriever Training Association's Goose Lake grounds in Lost Hills on the 2026 calendar (read October 27, 2026). Lost Hills is in Kern County, but the club carries the Central Coast name. Retriever tests come in several flavors. The [AKC versus HRC comparison](https://royalgundogs.com/hunt-tests/akc-vs-hrc/) explains the difference, and the [California hunt test calendar](https://royalgundogs.com/hunt-tests/california-calendar/) shows how to find current events. ## From the first call to the first retrieve Richard learned the Rex Carr method for Retriever Basics under Billy Sargenti. For a retriever, see the [Basic Waterfowl Program page](https://royalgundogs.com/programs/basic-waterfowl/). - Phone Richard and describe the dog: breed, age, what it has done around water and birds. - Talk about the goal, whether that is a duck-blind partner or a dog for hunt tests. - Work out drop-off and pick-up from the Central Coast with him. - Return for a handler lesson when it is time to take the dog home. ## Season context California's Balance of State waterfowl season runs October 24, 2026 to January 31, 2027, per CDFW, though your own county's zone may differ, so confirm it on the CDFW zone map. Our [2026-27 seasons page](https://royalgundogs.com/data/california-seasons-2026-27/) has the details. Whatever you hunt, the dog's training happens before the opener. The [opener readiness guide](https://royalgundogs.com/guides/ready-for-the-waterfowl-opener/) shows what to check. ## What to have ready when you phone Know the dog's age, its breed, what it retrieves now and whether it has seen live birds. Be ready to say whether you hunt ducks, upland birds or both, and whether hunt tests interest you. Richard picks the plan for each dog, so the more clearly you describe the goal, the more useful the conversation; program lengths and weekly rates are published if you want them in hand first. The [how to book training](https://royalgundogs.com/faq/how-to-book-training/) answer walks through the first call. ### Sources (4) - Bird Dog & Retriever News : [bdarn.com/ca/trialtests/](https://www.bdarn.com/ca/trialtests/) (checked October 27, 2026) - California Department of Fish and Wildlife : [wildlife.ca.gov/Hunting/Waterfowl](https://wildlife.ca.gov/Hunting/Waterfowl) (checked October 27, 2026) - U.S. Census Bureau : [data.census.gov/table/ACSDT5Y2024.B01003?g=160XX00US0648872](https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT5Y2024.B01003?g=160XX00US0648872) (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 - [Central Coast](https://royalgundogs.com/regions/central-coast/) - [Board-and-train](https://royalgundogs.com/programs/board-and-train/) - [Private and group lessons](https://royalgundogs.com/programs/lessons/) - [AKC vs HRC hunt tests](https://royalgundogs.com/hunt-tests/akc-vs-hrc/) - [From Salinas to Rio Vista](https://royalgundogs.com/from/salinas/) ## Other drive times [Red Bluff](https://royalgundogs.com/from/red-bluff/)[Fresno](https://royalgundogs.com/from/fresno/)[Salinas](https://royalgundogs.com/from/salinas/)[Chico](https://royalgundogs.com/from/chico/)[Redding](https://royalgundogs.com/from/redding/)[Oroville](https://royalgundogs.com/from/oroville/)[Santa Cruz](https://royalgundogs.com/from/santa-cruz/)[Grass Valley](https://royalgundogs.com/from/grass-valley/) ## Questions from Monterey owners [All questions](https://royalgundogs.com/faq/) ### How far is Rio Vista from Monterey? About 3.1 hours and 145 miles by road, with no traffic (OpenStreetMap routing). ### Is Monterey a same-day round trip? It is a long day each way, so plan on the full day. Call Richard about drop-off and pick-up from the Central Coast. ### Where is the Central Coast retriever hunt test held? The calendar lists it at CRTA Goose Lake in Lost Hills. Confirm the schedule with the club or AKC Event Search. ### Do I need a retriever to call Richard? No. He trains retrievers and upland dogs. Describe your dog on the first call.