Susanville to Rio Vista: about 5.2 hours from Honey Lake to the Delta

Susanville, the Lassen County seat, has 14,177 residents and a median age of 36.8 (Census ACS 5-year 2024). It sits on the high-desert side of the Sierra, with Honey Lake's waterfowl and pheasant ground just east of town.

Being straight about the drive

Susanville is one of the longer runs on this site. About 5.2 hours each way means most of a day behind the wheel in both directions, so this is a trip you plan around, not one you squeeze in. Estimates come from OpenStreetMap routing with no traffic, and mountain roads in winter can change the picture.

Because of that distance, the useful questions are about the handoff. Call Richard about drop-off and pick-up from the North State, and ask what he suggests for your dog and your calendar. Google lists his hours as 8 AM to 2 PM Monday and Wednesday through Sunday, closed Tuesday.

Honey Lake, close to home

Honey Lake Wildlife Area covers about 7,600 acres roughly 20 miles east of Susanville. CDFW lists waterfowl and pheasant hunting there, with a Type A or B pass, and says the waterfowl opener uses reservations. The page also lists quail and dove.

That mix means a Susanville dog may be asked to work ducks one weekend and pheasant the next. Richard describes the work as bird dogs for the hunt, upland and waterfowl, so tell him which you hunt most.

What board-and-train gives a far-away owner

In board-and-train, the dog stays with Richard through the program, which spares you the repeated mountain drive. Richard sets the plan by phone, inside each program's published range of weeks. Ask whether a lesson at pick-up is possible, since handler lessons teach you the cues the dog has learned.

Which program to read first

For a young retriever, Puppy Camp and Basic Waterfowl Program describe the early steps. For a pointing dog on pheasant, the Formal Gun Dog Training fits; for a flushing breed, ask Richard. Richard has trained professionally since 2002, so he works with both kinds.

Questions for the first call

• How does Richard suggest I handle drop-off and pick-up from Susanville?
• What is the right starting point for my dog's age and breed?
• Can I schedule a handler lesson at pick-up?
• What should I bring when the dog starts?