Hunting with German Wirehaired Pointers



Hunting with a GWP is different than hunting with other breeds of dogs. They are considered a versatile hunting breed, which can not only point upland game but also are good retrievers and can also be used to hunt "fur" as well as feather.

We hope this page will help people understand what GWPs are like as hunting dogs.



GWPs are Pointing Dogs



Click on the slideshow below to find out more



German Wirehaired Pointers or GWPS, are a pointing breed. They are bred to point game naturally. They are not a flushing dog.



A well-bred pointing dog will learn to hold point long enough for the hunter to flush the game no matter how long it takes to get to the dog on point



Tom has found that if you just take your GWP hunting wild birds, they will teach themselves everything they need to know about pointing.

In our opinion, if a dog doesn’t have natural point you can’t teach point--the dog either will naturally point, or it won't. But, when a young dog is learning to hunt wild birds, they won't initially know what they are smelling, and it will take them a little time to calibrate their noses, and to learn where the scent is coming from and that creeping in on the bird will cause the bird to flush.



Tom has hunted with GWPs for over 20 years and has hunted in Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Oregon Wyoming, Nevada, Texas, New Mexico, Utah, Nebraska, Kansas, Arkansas and Washington. The terrain has varied from dry, high-desert to heavy rain in the coastal rainforest and the dogs adjust their range and hunting style accordingly.



Tom has hunted his Idawire GWPs in sub-zero temperatures, and temperatures close to 100, and the GWPs tolerate the temperature ranges better than Tom.

But, always keep in mind that your GWP will need a LOT of water to drink (and ideally swim in) to cool off when it's hot.



Tom does almost all of his hunting on foot, but does use his ATV sometimes, and even occasionally out of a pick-up. And for field trials the dogs are used to Tom running them off horseback.



Tom prefers a bigger, athletic dog over smaller dogs. While some people prefer smaller dogs, we have found the bigger dogs hold up longer in the cold conditions, and in the thick cover.

A GWP should be powerful enough to bust through thick cover, or hunt in heavy snow.



GWPs are a versatile hunting dog, and should be able to hunt a variety of game in a variety of conditions.

Each upland species offers a slightly different challenge for a pointing dog. Some dogs just don’t handle some upland species as well as other upland species.

But, the more upland species that your dog is given the opportunity to hunt, the better your dog will become in the field on all species.



Every once in a while, your GWP may even point a non-bird species! When birds are scarce, and Tom's dog finds a rabbit, Tom will reward a good point with a shot and a retrieve.

(we do not recommend allowing a retrieve on a porcupine, ha, ha!)



Many pointing dogs, including GWPs will "back" when they see another dog on point. But, sometimes they will need to be trained to back.



While we enjoy competing in field trials, a field trial isn't the best place to evaluate your dog.... that should be done when hunting wild birds.

If you only "hunt" your dog on pen-raised birds, your dog will never achieve its full potential, and will have trouble if you switch to wild birds. Sometimes the only birds available are pen-raised birds, but be prepared to give your dog time to adjust when you start hunting wild birds.



See video of Idawire GWPs pointing on our Youtube page



We have a lot of Youtube videos of our Idawire dogs hunting and pointing birds. But, many of the videos are using planted/pen raised birds, since it is difficult to know when a dog will find a wild bird.

Click on the photo to the right to go to our Youtube page)



GWPs are Water Dogs



Click on the Slideshow below to find out more



Most GWPs love the water, and Idawire GWPs are no exception.



Tom doesn't like to spend a lot of time sitting in a duck blind he likes to be out moving around and "hunting."

But, he likes to "jump shoot" ducks and even geese on stock ponds, and even on a river when the opportunity presents itself.

In these situations, he will heel the dog and sneak up on the waterfowl. And, when they fly, he takes the shot and lets the dog retrieve the bird.



Tom will occasionally sit in a duck blind, and his GWPs have performed well. A GWP doesn't handle the extreme cold of sitting in a blind as well as a Labrador or Chesapeake Retriever will, but a good vest will help keep him comfortable in the duck blind.



It is easier for a larger GWP to handle a big duck or a goose in its mouth. A big goose in a fast river can be a challenge even for a bigger dog, and could be near impossible for a smaller dog.



GWPs really just seem to love the water! If there is water to swim in, and you're not throwing something for him to retrieve, he will probably just go and swim just for the joy of swimming!



Swimming is an excellent way to exercise your GWP when it is too warm to run for extended periods of time.



We started leaving the dew claws on our GWPs after we watched this video of two dogs trying to get out of icy waters--one dog had dew claws and the other did not. The dog with dew claws had a considerable advantage climbing out of the ice and water.

Click on the photo to the right to see the video.



Many GWPs are competing at dock diving and Idawire GWPs have done well at this game!



When you get your new puppy, we recommend playing fetch with him to nurture the natural retrieving instinct in your pup.

And, playing fetch with a bird will get your pup used to having feathers in its mouth.



While we enjoy competing in field trials, a field trial isn't the best place to evaluate your dog.... that should be done when hunting wild birds.

If you only "hunt" your dog on pen-raised birds, your dog will never achieve its full potential, and will have trouble if you switch to wild birds. Sometimes the only birds available are pen-raised birds, but be prepared to give your dog time to adjust when you start hunting wild birds.



Youtube videos of Idawire GWPs retrieving



We have a number of videos of Idawire GWPs retrieving, both on land and in the water. Visit our Youtube page to see them in action by clicking on the photo to the right.



More about Hunting with German Wirehaired Pointers





Idawire German Wirehaired Pointers



307.751.7822 | Hope Hull, Alabama
email: idawiregwps@gmail.com

Updated 9/7/2025