Alberta Hunter Education Practice Test 2026: Practice test 2

Practice test 2 of 5 for the Alberta Hunter Education Practice Test: 25 more questions with answers and explanations.

Hunting
Alberta
122 questions
Checked October 10, 2026

Question 1 of 25
How can hunters help slow the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer, elk and moose?
- Follow carcass movement rules and submit samples for testing when asked
- Ignore sick-looking animals and keep hunting
- Put out extra feed in winter so deer can gather in large, healthy groups
- Move whole carcasses to new areas to spread the risk
Show answer
Answer: A. Follow carcass movement rules and submit samples for testing when asked
CWD is a fatal disease. Rules on carcass movement and testing help agencies track and limit it.
Question 2 of 25
What does the evidence say about most hunting incidents?
- They involve breaking one or more basic firearm safety rules
- They are mostly caused by attacks from wild animals
- They only happen to people in their first year of hunting
- They are mostly caused by broken or faulty firearms that fire on their own without warning
Show answer
Answer: A. They involve breaking one or more basic firearm safety rules
Almost all hunting incidents involve a broken safety rule, such as poor muzzle control or not identifying the target.
Question 3 of 25
Before shooting, what must you be sure of about the animal?
- Only that it is big enough to be worth the work of dragging it out of the bush
- Only that no other hunter has seen it first
- Only that it is standing inside an open field
- Its species, and that its sex or antlers are legal for your licence
Show answer
Answer: D. Its species, and that its sex or antlers are legal for your licence
Licences and tags are often for one species, sex or antler type. If you are not sure, do not shoot.
Question 4 of 25
How should you treat frostbitten fingers?
- Rub them hard between your hands to get blood flowing
- Rewarm them gently, such as against warm skin, without rubbing
- Rub them with snow to bring back the feeling
- Hold them close to a hot fire or heater so they thaw out as fast as possible
Show answer
Answer: B. Rewarm them gently, such as against warm skin, without rubbing
Rubbing damages frozen tissue. Rewarm gently, and do not rewarm if the area may freeze again.
Question 5 of 25
Why do wildlife agencies ask hunters to report their harvest?
- To decide who will get a free licence next year
- To sell hunters' names and addresses to outdoor stores
- The data helps biologists set seasons, quotas and limits
- Only to collect extra licence fees
Show answer
Answer: C. The data helps biologists set seasons, quotas and limits
Harvest reports show how many animals were taken and where, which guides management decisions. Ontario now has mandatory reporting for some licences.
Question 6 of 25
Where does blaze orange do the most good?
- On a backpack, so it can be taken off
- On the back only, since other hunters usually walk behind you in the woods
- On the boots and lower legs only
- On the head and upper body, visible from all sides
Show answer
Answer: D. On the head and upper body, visible from all sides
Rules such as Ontario's require orange above the waist, visible from all sides, plus an orange head cover.
Question 7 of 25
Which feature helps tell a mule deer from a white-tailed deer?
- A mule deer raises a wide, white tail like a flag when it runs away
- Male mule deer never grow antlers
- A mule deer has small, short ears
- A mule deer has a narrow white tail with a black tip
Show answer
Answer: D. A mule deer has a narrow white tail with a black tip
White-tailed deer have a broad tail that is brown on top and white underneath. Mule deer have a thin, black-tipped tail and large ears.
Question 8 of 25
You hear a noise and see a shape moving in thick brush. What should you do?
- Shoot quickly before the animal has a chance to run off
- Fire a warning shot into the air to make it move
- Do not shoot until you clearly see and identify the animal
- Aim at the sound, since game makes most noises
Show answer
Answer: C. Do not shoot until you clearly see and identify the animal
Never shoot at sound, movement or colour. Many incidents happen when a hunter is mistaken for game.
Question 9 of 25
In the firearm safety rules taught in Canada (ACTS), what does the "A" stand for?
- Aim only at legal game
- Assume every firearm is loaded
- Always carry your hunting licence
- Avoid shooting near roads
Show answer
Answer: B. Assume every firearm is loaded
The first ACTS rule is to assume every firearm is loaded, even when someone tells you it is empty.
Question 10 of 25
Two hunters reach a fence. What is a safe way for them to cross?
- One person climbs over while the other covers them with a loaded firearm
- Unload both firearms; one person holds both while the other crosses, then hands them over
- Each person climbs over carefully while holding their own loaded firearm with the safety on
- Both lean their loaded firearms on the fence and climb over together
Show answer
Answer: B. Unload both firearms; one person holds both while the other crosses, then hands them over
With both firearms unloaded and actions open, one hunter can safely hand them across to the other.
Question 11 of 25
When should your finger move onto the trigger?
- Whenever you see or hear movement in the bush
- As soon as the firearm is loaded, so you are always ready for a quick shot
- Only when you have identified your target and are ready to shoot
- As soon as you leave the vehicle and start walking
Show answer
Answer: C. Only when you have identified your target and are ready to shoot
Resting your finger on the trigger while walking or waiting can cause an accidental shot.
Question 12 of 25
How does a broadhead arrow kill big game?
- By cutting blood vessels and organs, causing heavy bleeding
- By breaking the large bones of the legs
- By a poison that is put on the tip
- By the force of the impact, which stops the heart right away
Show answer
Answer: A. By cutting blood vessels and organs, causing heavy bleeding
Sharp broadheads must hit the vital area to kill quickly by blood loss, so shot placement is very important for bowhunters.
Question 13 of 25
Before you shoot, what must you be sure of?
- Only that the wind is calm enough for an accurate shot
- Your target, and what is in front of it and beyond it
- Only that the animal is a legal species for your licence
- Only that your hunting partner is standing beside you
Show answer
Answer: B. Your target, and what is in front of it and beyond it
You are responsible for where the bullet or shot goes, including if it misses or passes through the animal.
Question 14 of 25
Which position usually gives the best shot at the vital area of big game?
- Facing toward you at long range
- Broadside or quartering away
- Facing straight away from you
- Running across an open field
Show answer
Answer: B. Broadside or quartering away
Broadside and quartering-away angles give a clear path to the heart and lungs.
Question 15 of 25
What does "three points of contact" mean when climbing to a tree stand?
- Use three separate straps to attach the stand firmly to the tree trunk
- Stop and rest three times on the way up the tree
- Climb with three people so someone can catch you
- Two hands and one foot, or two feet and one hand, always on the steps
Show answer
Answer: D. Two hands and one foot, or two feet and one hand, always on the steps
Keeping three points of contact means you are never holding on by only one hand or one foot.
Question 16 of 25
Why should you avoid shots at running animals or at very long range?
- They damage the barrel and wear out the firearm
- They are only a problem when other hunters are near
- They are much more likely to wound the animal instead of killing it quickly
- They are against the law in every province and can cost you your licence for life
Show answer
Answer: C. They are much more likely to wound the animal instead of killing it quickly
Ethical hunters only take shots they are confident will hit the vital area.
Question 17 of 25
Under the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, who does wildlife belong to?
- Only people who hold a hunting licence
- The person who owns the land where the animal happens to live
- Whoever kills the animal first
- It is held in trust for all people by governments
Show answer
Answer: D. It is held in trust for all people by governments
Wildlife is a public resource, managed by governments for everyone.
Question 18 of 25
In the diagram, why is shot 1 safe and shot 2 unsafe?
- Shot 1 is safe only because the hunter is closer to the deer
- Both shots are equally safe because the hunter is kneeling and aiming carefully
- Shot 2 is safe because the house is too far away to reach
- Shot 1 ends in an earth bank; shot 2 is against open sky, with a house hidden beyond the ridge
Show answer
Answer: D. Shot 1 ends in an earth bank; shot 2 is against open sky, with a house hidden beyond the ridge
A safe shot needs a backstop that will stop the bullet. On a ridge, the bullet can travel on to places you cannot see.
Question 19 of 25
What happened to the passenger pigeon, once one of the most common birds in North America?
- It became extinct, mainly from unregulated market hunting and habitat loss
- It became the most common bird in Canadian cities
- It moved south and now lives only in South America
- It nearly died out but was brought back to large numbers by hunters and farmers
Show answer
Answer: A. It became extinct, mainly from unregulated market hunting and habitat loss
The passenger pigeon shows what can happen without hunting laws. It helped lead to modern wildlife protection.
Question 20 of 25
How is regulated hunting used as a wildlife management tool?
- It helps keep populations within what the habitat can support
- It is used to wipe out species that are too common
- It replaces the need to protect any habitat
- It is used to remove every predator, such as wolves and bears, from an area
Show answer
Answer: A. It helps keep populations within what the habitat can support
Seasons, bag limits and quotas are set so hunting takes part of the population each year without harming it.
Question 21 of 25
How should firearms be carried in a vehicle on the way to your hunting area?
- Loaded and ready in the back seat
- Loaded, with only the magazine filled
- Loaded, with the safety on
- Unloaded, and preferably in a case
Show answer
Answer: D. Unloaded, and preferably in a case
Provinces such as Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba make it illegal to have a loaded firearm in or on a vehicle.
Question 22 of 25
Where should you aim for a quick, ethical kill on big game?
- The heart-lung (vital) area
- The head, for an instant kill
- The hindquarters, to stop it running
- The neck, to save the most meat
Show answer
Answer: A. The heart-lung (vital) area
The heart and lungs are a large target, and a hit there kills quickly and wastes little meat.
Question 23 of 25
If you realize you are lost, what does "STOP" remind you to do?
- Start, Turn, Open, Proceed
- Search, Travel, Orient, Push on
- Shout, Turn, Off-trail, Panic
- Stop, Think, Observe, Plan
Show answer
Answer: D. Stop, Think, Observe, Plan
Staying calm and thinking clearly is the first step to surviving when lost.
Question 24 of 25
In the PROVE routine, what does the "E" stand for?
- Examine the bore for obstructions
- Empty your pockets of loose cartridges
- Exit the vehicle before loading
- Eject the scope from its mounts
Show answer
Answer: A. Examine the bore for obstructions
The last PROVE step is to check that the barrel is clear. A blocked barrel can burst when fired.
Question 25 of 25
When an unloaded firearm is raised on a haul line, which way should the muzzle point?
- Up, toward you
- Toward the tree trunk
- It does not matter if it is unloaded
- Down, away from you
Show answer
Answer: D. Down, away from you
With the muzzle pointing down, it is never pointed at you as you pull it up.

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