Santa Cruz to Rio Vista: over the hill for a quail and pheasant dog

Santa Cruz, population about 62,000 with a median age of 31.1 (Census Bureau), sits on Monterey Bay. Wetland hunting is a drive away, so for many gun-dog owners the season to watch is quail, and CDFW's calendar for it is below.

Counting the hours

The drive covers about 106 miles and takes about 2.4 hours with no traffic, based on OpenStreetMap routing. Bay Area and Delta traffic is rarely light, so give yourself more. Call it a long day each way.

The Central Coast region page compares Santa Cruz with the other coastal cities.

The quail seasons CDFW lists

CDFW's 2026-27 upland page gives three quail windows: Zone Q2, all quail, September 26 to January 31; Zones Q1 and Q3, all quail, October 17 to January 31 (fetched October 27, 2026). Mountain quail alone is open September 12 to October 16 in Zone Q1.

The page does not list counties, so check CDFW's quail zone map for Santa Cruz County before you plan. Our 2026-27 seasons page keeps the full table, including pheasant (November 14 to December 27) and chukar (October 17 to January 31).

What a quail dog is trained to do

Quail hunting asks for a dog that works close, points or flushes on scent and stays under control when a covey erupts. Brittanys, English setters and German shorthaired pointers are common choices; the Formal Gun Dog Training describes the work.

Richard expanded into pointers and other upland breeds in 2013, under Steve Klassen at Blue Ridge Kennels, and he is an avid upland hunter himself. Ask him how a coastal quail hunter's goals translate to a training plan.

Clubs within reach

The Monterey Bay English Setter Club is listed on the 2026 California calendar with an event at Spenceville Wildlife Area near Marysville. Setter owners can find the club through that listing.

If you handle a setter, read English Setters. Then call Richard about drop-off and pick-up from the coast.

Why board-and-train suits a coastal commute

Over two hours each way is enough to make weekly lessons impractical. Leaving the dog with Richard means the daily work happens where the birds and water are, and you are not driving the hill every few days. You arrive at the end for a handler lesson and learn how the dog responds to you. Ask Richard how he handles dogs that are new to cover and gunfire.