--- title: Gun Dog Training From Ventura | Royal Gun Dogs url: https://royalgundogs.com/from/ventura/ 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/) - Ventura # Ventura to Rio Vista: seven hours to put a duck dog through its paces Rio Vista is about 7.1 hours and 374 miles from Ventura 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 Ventura to Hastings Island - **Drive to Rio Vista:** about 7.1 hours 374 miles, OpenStreetMap routing, no traffic - **County:** Ventura US Census Bureau - **Population:** 109,857 ACS 5-year 2024 - **Median age:** 41.3 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. Ventura is a coastal city of about 110,000 with a median age of 41.3 (Census Bureau), the highest of the Southern California cities on this site's newest pages. Its duck hunters follow CDFW's Southern California season line, summarized below. ## Seven hours by road OpenStreetMap routing measures about 374 miles and about 7.1 hours with no traffic. That is overnight-tier driving. Build in extra time and expect to cover the distance in a day's travel each way. For that reason, the simplest model is board-and-train. The dog lives at Hastings Island while it trains, so you make one trip up and one trip home. Call Richard about drop-off and pick-up from Southern California. ## The duck season line CDFW's 2026-27 waterfowl page lists a Southern California Zone with ducks from October 24 to January 31 (fetched October 27, 2026). The page does not give a county list, so confirm where Ventura County falls on the CDFW zone map; our [2026-27 seasons page](https://royalgundogs.com/data/california-seasons-2026-27/) has the table. A season that long is a reminder that preparation is a spring and summer job. The [off-season training calendar](https://royalgundogs.com/guides/off-season-training-calendar/) shows how the months stack up. ## Southern California retriever clubs Four Southern California retriever clubs list field trials on lands near Niland in Imperial County in early 2026: the Southern California Retriever Club, the California South Coast Retriever Club, the Salton Sea Retriever Club and the San Diego Retriever Field Trial Club (California 2026 trial and hunt test calendar, read October 27, 2026). Imperial Wildlife Area's Wister Unit covers about 7,900 acres five miles northwest of Niland and requires a Type A pass (CDFW). Check the unit page before any visit. ## A short checklist before calling - The dog's age, breed and any gunfire or water experience. - Which birds you hunt and where. - Whether you want a hunt test dog, a blind partner or both. - Your questions about drop-off, pick-up and the [handler lesson](https://royalgundogs.com/programs/lessons/). Richard sets the plan himself, and he trains everyday hunting dogs and home companions as well as field trial dogs. [how to book training](https://royalgundogs.com/faq/how-to-book-training/) explains what to expect from the call. ## Why dates matter at this distance With seven hours of road between Ventura and Rio Vista, the order of events matters. Phone first, agree the drop-off day, and make sure you know when and how pick-up will happen before you set out. Richard sets all of that by phone. A [handler lesson](https://royalgundogs.com/programs/lessons/) at pick-up lets you practice with the dog while Richard is there to correct your handling. ### Sources (5) - California Department of Fish and Wildlife : [wildlife.ca.gov/Hunting/Waterfowl](https://wildlife.ca.gov/Hunting/Waterfowl) (checked October 27, 2026) - Bird Dog & Retriever News : [bdarn.com/ca/trialtests/](https://www.bdarn.com/ca/trialtests/) (checked October 27, 2026) - California Department of Fish and Wildlife : [wildlife.ca.gov/Lands/Places-to-Visit/Imperial-WA](https://wildlife.ca.gov/Lands/Places-to-Visit/Imperial-WA) (checked October 27, 2026) - U.S. Census Bureau : [data.census.gov/table/ACSDT5Y2024.B01003?g=160XX00US0665042](https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT5Y2024.B01003?g=160XX00US0665042) (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) ### 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 Los Angeles to Rio Vista](https://royalgundogs.com/from/los-angeles/) ## Other drive times [Santa Barbara](https://royalgundogs.com/from/santa-barbara/)[Los Angeles](https://royalgundogs.com/from/los-angeles/)[Palmdale](https://royalgundogs.com/from/palmdale/)[Alturas](https://royalgundogs.com/from/alturas/)[Lancaster](https://royalgundogs.com/from/lancaster/)[Tulelake](https://royalgundogs.com/from/tulelake/)[Irvine](https://royalgundogs.com/from/irvine/)[Riverside](https://royalgundogs.com/from/riverside/) ## Questions from Ventura owners [All questions](https://royalgundogs.com/faq/) ### How far is Rio Vista from Ventura? About 7.1 hours and 374 miles by road, with no traffic (OpenStreetMap routing). ### Will a family dog work for board-and-train? Richard's experience runs from top-level field trial and hunt test dogs to everyday hunting dogs and home companions (hihp.com). Describe the dog on the call. ### Which waterfowl zone covers Ventura County? This page does not assign one. Confirm it on the CDFW zone map. ### Can I split the drive? That is up to you. Plan a long travel day each way and call Richard about drop-off and pick-up.