Pacific Flyway · Richvale, California
Healing happens best in community.
Guns Up! takes combat veterans duck hunting in the rice country near Richvale, California — then brings them back, season after season, to a brotherhood that does not end when the hunt does.
In Short
What Guns Up! does
Guns Up! is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that takes combat veterans waterfowl hunting in the Pacific Flyway near Richvale, California. Hunts, gear, licenses and meals are free to the veteran, funded by donors and partners. Veterans are invited back every year — the hunt is the beginning of a brotherhood, not a one-time trip.
How It Works
More than just one and done
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Nominate
Anyone can nominate a combat veteran — a spouse, a buddy, a chaplain, the veteran themselves. We reach out and get to know them.
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Hunt
A guided waterfowl hunt in the rice country near Richvale, with gear, licenses and meals covered. Then back to the lodge for the part that matters most.
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Come back
More than just one and done. Veterans return every season, to the preseason barbecue, and to brush blinds in the off-season — and welcome the next newcomer.
Our Story
Born in a duck blind
After returning from combat deployments, Marine veteran and rice farmer Daniel Job found peace and camaraderie in waterfowl hunting. Wanting to share that lifeline, he and his cousin, former pro baseball pitcher Caleb Balbuena, began bringing combat veterans together in the field.
What started with a single raffle-funded hunt has grown into an independent 501(c)(3) — a safe space, lasting friendships and access to vital resources, all through the shared brotherhood of the hunt.
Read the full story
Programs
What we do
Combat Veteran Waterfowl Hunts
Guided duck and goose hunts in the rice country near Richvale, California, in the heart of the Pacific Flyway.
Come Back Every Year
The hunt is the beginning, not the end. Veterans are invited back every season, to the preseason barbecue, and to help maintain blinds in the off-season.
Where We Hunt
Richvale, in the heart of the Pacific Flyway
Flooded rice fields and wetlands make this one of North America’s premier migration corridors. Every hunt ends back at the lodge — a hearty meal, swapped stories, birds cleaned together, and the simple joy of being part of a team again.
See the lodge
“A man’s pride will bring him low, but one who has a humble spirit will obtain honor.”
Support the Mission
Put a veteran in the blind this season.
Gifts cover gear, licenses, transportation and meals so a combat veteran can hunt for free — and come back next year. Guns Up! is a 501(c)(3); donations may be tax deductible.
Questions
Good to know
What is Guns Up Waterfowl?
Guns Up! is a California 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded by a Marine Corps combat veteran and his cousin. It takes combat veterans waterfowl hunting in the Pacific Flyway near Richvale, California, and invites them back year after year to build lasting camaraderie.
Who can be nominated for a hunt?
Combat veterans. Anyone can submit a nomination — family, friends, fellow veterans, or the veteran themselves — through the Nominate a Veteran form on this site.
Does a veteran pay anything?
No. Hunts, gear, licenses and meals are funded by donors and partners.
Are donations tax deductible?
Guns Up! is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) public charity (EIN 33-4006715), so donations may be tax deductible. Please consult a licensed tax professional about your own situation.
Our Partners
