in my opinion the VERY VERY best dogs i have ever hunted with whether be coon dogs, bird dogs, or labs tend to be males, however i prefer females because i think on average they are better dogs. German Shorthairs are by far the best breed to upland hunt with in my opinion and would not own anything but. I dont think you could go wrong with either male or female its just personal preference and what each INDIVIDUAL dog is like and what YOU like in the dog and dislike in the dog. No dog will ever be perfect so pick the closest one to perfect you can find.