--- title: Gun Dog Training From Palmdale | Royal Gun Dogs url: https://royalgundogs.com/from/palmdale/ 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/) - [Southern California](https://royalgundogs.com/regions/southern-california/) - Palmdale # Palmdale to Rio Vista: chukar season, a long road and a gun dog to train Rio Vista is about 6.8 hours and 358 miles from Palmdale 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 Palmdale to Hastings Island - **Drive to Rio Vista:** about 6.8 hours 358 miles, OpenStreetMap routing, no traffic - **County:** Los Angeles US Census Bureau - **Population:** 164,634 ACS 5-year 2024 - **Median age:** 33.0 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. Palmdale has about 165,000 residents and a median age of 33.0 (Census Bureau). It is a high-desert city, and for an upland hunter in dry country the season on CDFW's calendar to know is chukar. ## The honest hours From Palmdale to Rio Vista is about 358 miles, or about 6.8 hours with no traffic by OpenStreetMap routing. This is the overnight tier, so expect a full day of travel each way. A dog's stay with Richard turns that into one trip north and one trip back. Call him about drop-off and pick-up from Southern California before choosing dates. ## Chukar and the upland calendar CDFW lists the 2026-27 chukar season as October 17 to January 31, with a daily bag of six (fetched October 27, 2026), and pheasant as November 14 to December 27. Season dates on that page are summaries, and CDFW's regulations booklet has the legal language; our [2026-27 seasons page](https://royalgundogs.com/data/california-seasons-2026-27/) links to both. Chukar hunting is walking, climbing and covering ground, and it asks for a fit dog that hunts within range and comes when called. That is training you can start with a professional and keep up at home. ## Camp H, a listed field-trial venue Camp H in California City, formerly Castle Butte Wells, is the listed venue for 2026 Southern California pointing-breed field trials and hunt tests (California 2026 trial and hunt test calendar, read October 27, 2026). Read about the [California hunt test calendar](https://royalgundogs.com/hunt-tests/california-calendar/) to learn how to confirm an event. ## Building the trip Details of the arrangement live on the [board-and-train](https://royalgundogs.com/programs/board-and-train/) page. - Phone Richard to describe the dog and the hunting you want it ready for. - Settle on the program with him; lengths and weekly rates are published. - Decide with him how drop-off and pick-up will work, and arrange the long drive. - Take a [handler lesson](https://royalgundogs.com/programs/lessons/) at pick-up and learn the dog's commands. ## Questions that help Richard plan Describe the ground you hunt: open desert ridgeline, brush or farm edge. Say how far the dog ranges now and whether it returns on command. Mention any gunfire or water experience. Richard has hunted upland birds and waterfowl himself and can talk through how your dog's habits fit the plan. Hours listed on Google are 8 AM to 2 PM Monday and Wednesday through Sunday, closed Tuesday, so call within them. ### Sources (3) - California Department of Fish and Wildlife : [wildlife.ca.gov/Hunting/Upland-Game-Birds](https://wildlife.ca.gov/Hunting/Upland-Game-Birds) (checked October 27, 2026) - Bird Dog & Retriever News : [bdarn.com/ca/trialtests/](https://www.bdarn.com/ca/trialtests/) (checked October 27, 2026) - U.S. Census Bureau : [data.census.gov/table/ACSDT5Y2024.B01003?g=160XX00US0655156](https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT5Y2024.B01003?g=160XX00US0655156) (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 - [Southern California](https://royalgundogs.com/regions/southern-california/) - [Board-and-train](https://royalgundogs.com/programs/board-and-train/) - [Private and group lessons](https://royalgundogs.com/programs/lessons/) - [California 2026-27 waterfowl and upland seasons](https://royalgundogs.com/data/california-seasons-2026-27/) - [From Lancaster to Rio Vista](https://royalgundogs.com/from/lancaster/) ## Other drive times [Los Angeles](https://royalgundogs.com/from/los-angeles/)[Alturas](https://royalgundogs.com/from/alturas/)[Lancaster](https://royalgundogs.com/from/lancaster/)[Ventura](https://royalgundogs.com/from/ventura/)[Tulelake](https://royalgundogs.com/from/tulelake/)[Santa Barbara](https://royalgundogs.com/from/santa-barbara/)[Irvine](https://royalgundogs.com/from/irvine/)[Santa Maria](https://royalgundogs.com/from/santa-maria/) ## Questions from Palmdale owners [All questions](https://royalgundogs.com/faq/) ### How far is Rio Vista from Palmdale? About 6.8 hours and 358 miles by road, with no traffic (OpenStreetMap routing). ### Is there any way to avoid a full travel day? Not at this distance. Plan on a long travel day each way and call Richard about drop-off and pick-up from Southern California. ### What is the chukar season? CDFW lists October 17 to January 31 for 2026-27. Check the regulations booklet for the legal language. ### Does Richard train chukar dogs? He trains pointers and other upland breeds. Tell him on the call how you hunt.