Vacaville to Rio Vista: a bird dog for the hunt

Vacaville sits on the Interstate 80 corridor in Solano County, between Sacramento and Suisun Marsh. The city has 102,596 residents and a median age of 38.2 (Census ACS 5-year 2024).

Upland or waterfowl, both are close

The location on I-80 means Vacaville hunters head either direction: east toward the valley or south toward the marsh. Richard's own hunting covers both upland and waterfowl, and his phrase for the work is close to "bird dogs for the hunt."

If your dog points, Puppy Camp is the introduction and the Formal Gun Dog Training follows once the dog is over a year old. If it retrieves, the Basic Waterfowl Program is the core program.

Upland dates worth knowing

These dates come from CDFW's upland game bird page, checked October 27, 2026, which calls them a summary. Read more on our seasons page and confirm with CDFW before you plan a trip.

• Pheasant general season: November 14 to December 27, 2026 (CDFW).
• Chukar: October 17, 2026 to January 31, 2027.
• Dove: September 1 to 15, and November 14 to December 28.
• Valley quail follows CDFW quail zones; check the zone map for your county.

How the 44 minutes works

A round trip is under two hours of driving, so a Vacaville owner can visit during a program without taking a whole day off. Google lists the hours as Monday and Wednesday through Sunday, 8 AM to 2 PM. Call first and agree a drop-off time with him; Wednesday through Saturday is his preferred window.

When the program ends, plan a lesson. The owner-handler training FAQ explains why a dog that works for the trainer can still fall apart for a new handler.

Dogs that work both sides of I-80

Because the city sits between the valley and the marsh, a Vacaville dog often has to do two jobs: flush and mark birds in the field, then sit in a blind on the water. A dog trained for one job is not automatically ready for the other.

Ask Richard how he would combine them. He trains from field trial and hunt test retrievers to everyday hunting dogs and home companions, so the program can match what you actually do on a weekend.

Staying in touch while the dog is away

At 44 minutes each way the drive is short; ask Richard about visits and handler lessons. Google lists the hours as Monday and Wednesday through Sunday, 8 AM to 2 PM. Ask Richard about visits.