--- title: Gun Dog Training From Vacaville | Royal Gun Dogs url: https://royalgundogs.com/from/vacaville/ 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/) - [Delta, Solano and Contra Costa](https://royalgundogs.com/regions/delta-and-solano/) - Vacaville # Vacaville to Rio Vista: a bird dog for the hunt Rio Vista is about 44 minutes and 28 miles from Vacaville by road. Richard Gebhart trains pointers, spaniels and retrievers at Hastings Island Hunting Preserve in Rio Vista, and Vacaville owners can fit the drive into a normal morning. ## From Vacaville to Hastings Island - **Drive to Rio Vista:** about 44 minutes 28 miles, OpenStreetMap routing, no traffic - **County:** Solano US Census Bureau - **Population:** 102,596 ACS 5-year 2024 - **Median age:** 38.2 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. 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](https://royalgundogs.com/programs/puppy-camp/) is the introduction and the [Formal Gun Dog Training](https://royalgundogs.com/programs/formal-gun-dog-training/) follows once the dog is over a year old. If it retrieves, the [Basic Waterfowl Program](https://royalgundogs.com/programs/basic-waterfowl/) 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](https://royalgundogs.com/data/california-seasons-2026-27/) 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](https://royalgundogs.com/faq/owner-handler-training/) 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. ### 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) - Hastings Island Hunting Preserve : [hihp.com/royal-gun-dogs-dog-training/](https://hihp.com/royal-gun-dogs-dog-training/) (checked October 27, 2026) - U.S. Census Bureau : [census.gov/data/developers/data-sets/acs-5year.html](https://www.census.gov/data/developers/data-sets/acs-5year.html) (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 - [Delta, Solano and Contra Costa](https://royalgundogs.com/regions/delta-and-solano/) - [Board-and-train](https://royalgundogs.com/programs/board-and-train/) - [Formal Gun Dog Training](https://royalgundogs.com/programs/formal-gun-dog-training/) - [California 2026-27 waterfowl and upland seasons](https://royalgundogs.com/data/california-seasons-2026-27/) - [From Fairfield to Rio Vista](https://royalgundogs.com/from/fairfield/) ## Other drive times [Stockton](https://royalgundogs.com/from/stockton/)[Concord](https://royalgundogs.com/from/concord/)[Lodi](https://royalgundogs.com/from/lodi/)[Vallejo](https://royalgundogs.com/from/vallejo/)[Fairfield](https://royalgundogs.com/from/fairfield/)[Davis](https://royalgundogs.com/from/davis/)[Napa](https://royalgundogs.com/from/napa/)[Walnut Creek](https://royalgundogs.com/from/walnut-creek/) ## Questions from Vacaville owners [All questions](https://royalgundogs.com/faq/) ### How far is Rio Vista from Vacaville? About 44 minutes and 28 miles by road, with no traffic. ### Can a pointing breed train with Richard? Yes. Richard added pointers and other upland breeds in 2013 under Steve Klassen at Blue Ridge Kennels. Ask him about your dog. ### When does pheasant season open? CDFW lists the general pheasant season as November 14 to December 27, 2026. Confirm on wildlife.ca.gov before you hunt. ### Does Richard hunt himself? Yes. His profile calls him an avid upland and waterfowl hunter, which shapes the way he trains.