Alberta Hunter Education Practice Test 2026: Practice test 3

Practice test 3 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
In Canada, where are the existing Aboriginal and treaty rights of Indigenous peoples, including hunting rights, recognized and affirmed?
- Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982
- Each provincial hunting regulation summary
- The Migratory Birds Convention
- The Criminal Code
Show answer
Answer: A. Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982
Section 35 recognizes and affirms existing Aboriginal and treaty rights. BC's CORE exam includes a section on Indigenous peoples and hunting.
Question 2 of 25
Which of these is a limiting factor for a wildlife population?
- A bright full moon in the fall
- A new design for hunting licences
- A new road sign near the forest
- A severe winter that reduces food
Show answer
Answer: D. A severe winter that reduces food
Limiting factors such as disease, predators, harsh weather and lack of food keep populations from growing.
Question 3 of 25
Why must waterfowl hunters use non-toxic shot instead of lead?
- Non-toxic shot costs less than lead shot
- Lead shot left in wetlands can poison birds that swallow it
- Lead shot damages the hull of a boat
- Lead shot is too light to reach birds flying at normal hunting heights
Show answer
Answer: B. Lead shot left in wetlands can poison birds that swallow it
Ducks and geese pick up spent lead pellets while feeding and can die of lead poisoning.
Question 4 of 25
Which feature helps you tell a grizzly bear from a black bear?
- A grizzly has taller, more pointed ears
- A black bear is always black and never brown
- A grizzly has a shoulder hump and a dished face profile
- A grizzly is always brown and never black
Show answer
Answer: C. A grizzly has a shoulder hump and a dished face profile
Look for the shoulder hump, face profile, ears and claws. Grizzlies have shorter, rounder ears and longer front claws.
Question 5 of 25
What is the safest way to store hunting firearms at home?
- Unloaded on an open gun rack with the ammunition beside it
- Loaded in a closet for quick use
- Unloaded and locked, with ammunition stored separately
- In the vehicle all season
Show answer
Answer: C. Unloaded and locked, with ammunition stored separately
Storing firearms unloaded and locked, away from ammunition, keeps them away from children and thieves.
Question 6 of 25
Which countries signed the Migratory Birds Convention in 1916?
- The United States and Mexico only
- Canada, France, Great Britain and Mexico together
- Canada and Mexico, acting alone
- Great Britain (for Canada) and the United States
Show answer
Answer: D. Great Britain (for Canada) and the United States
The 1916 convention between Great Britain, acting for Canada, and the United States protects birds that migrate across the border.
Question 7 of 25
Which ammunition is safe to use in your firearm?
- Any cartridge that fits into the chamber, as long as the action closes easily
- Any ammunition of a similar size and shape
- Only ammunition that matches the marking stamped on the barrel
- Whatever ammunition your hunting partner is using
Show answer
Answer: C. Only ammunition that matches the marking stamped on the barrel
The barrel is marked with the correct calibre or gauge. The wrong ammunition can cause a dangerous failure.
Question 8 of 25
You pull the trigger and the firearm does not fire. What should you do first?
- Look down the barrel to see what went wrong
- Turn around and show the firearm to your partner
- Keep it pointed in a safe direction and wait before opening the action
- Open the action right away and shake out the cartridge before it can cool down
Show answer
Answer: C. Keep it pointed in a safe direction and wait before opening the action
A cartridge can fire late (a hang fire). Keep the muzzle pointed safely and wait before you carefully unload.
Question 9 of 25
In the elbow carry shown, the break-action gun is open over the forearm. Why is this a good choice near other people?
- It is the only carry allowed by law near others
- It keeps the barrel warm in cold weather
- Everyone can see the gun is open and cannot fire
- It is the fastest way to raise the gun and shoot
Show answer
Answer: C. Everyone can see the gun is open and cannot fire
An open break-action gun carried over the arm clearly shows it cannot fire, and the muzzle points at the ground.
Question 10 of 25
How should you approach a big game animal that is down?
- From the front, so you can check its head and eyes and see if it is still breathing
- Quickly and directly, with your firearm unloaded
- Run straight to it before it can get up again
- From behind and slightly uphill, watching for movement and ready to shoot again
Show answer
Answer: D. From behind and slightly uphill, watching for movement and ready to shoot again
An animal that is only stunned can get up suddenly. Approach carefully from behind and watch for signs of life.
Question 11 of 25
When should you be connected to the tree when using a tree stand?
- Only when you stand up to take a shot
- From the moment you leave the ground until you are back on the ground
- Only while sitting on the platform, because climbing up and down is the safest part
- Only on windy days, when the tree is moving
Show answer
Answer: B. From the moment you leave the ground until you are back on the ground
Use a lifeline while climbing and a tether while in the stand, so you are protected the whole time.
Question 12 of 25
In the "1-10-1" principle for falling into cold water, what happens in the first minute?
- You stop feeling cold because the body adjusts
- Cold shock: gasping and fast breathing that you must get under control
- You lose consciousness from the cold right away
- You can swim normally for a while, because the body has not cooled down yet
Show answer
Answer: B. Cold shock: gasping and fast breathing that you must get under control
After about 1 minute of cold shock, you have about 10 minutes of useful movement, and about 1 hour before hypothermia causes unconsciousness.
Question 13 of 25
In Canada, who manages most wildlife, such as deer, moose and bears?
- Provincial and territorial governments
- Municipal and town councils
- Private hunting clubs and outfitters in each region
- The United Nations
Show answer
Answer: A. Provincial and territorial governments
Each province and territory sets its own hunting laws, seasons and licences for most wildlife.
Question 14 of 25
Why should you never shoot at water, ice or a flat rock?
- It is only unsafe at night, when you cannot see
- The bullet or shot can ricochet in an unexpected direction
- The noise carries over water and ice and scares away every animal for miles around
- The splash or chips can damage the barrel
Show answer
Answer: B. The bullet or shot can ricochet in an unexpected direction
Projectiles can bounce off hard or flat surfaces, including water, and travel toward people you cannot see.
Question 15 of 25
What is hypothermia?
- A bad sunburn from snow reflecting the sun
- A high fever caused by an infection picked up from drinking creek water
- A drop in body core temperature because the body loses heat too fast
- A type of food poisoning from spoiled meat
Show answer
Answer: C. A drop in body core temperature because the body loses heat too fast
Wind, wet clothing and cold water make the body lose heat fast.
Question 16 of 25
Why should you never run a fuel-burning heater or stove in a closed tent or blind?
- It can produce deadly carbon monoxide
- Its smell scares away game nearby
- It uses up too much drinking water
- It makes the tent too bright at night
Show answer
Answer: A. It can produce deadly carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide has no colour or smell. Make sure there is good airflow.
Question 17 of 25
In which member of the deer family can both males and females grow antlers?
- Elk
- White-tailed deer
- Caribou
- Moose
Show answer
Answer: C. Caribou
Caribou are the only North American deer in which females normally grow antlers too.
Question 18 of 25
A hunter feels the most satisfaction from the whole outdoor experience, sharing it and teaching new hunters. Which stage of hunter development is this?
- Shooter stage
- Limiting-out stage
- Sportsman stage
- Trophy stage
Show answer
Answer: C. Sportsman stage
Hunter education describes five stages: shooter, limiting-out, trophy, method and sportsman. The sportsman stage values the full experience.
Question 19 of 25
A hunter measures success mainly by getting the full bag limit. Which stage is this?
- Limiting-out stage
- Sportsman stage
- Method stage
- Trophy stage
Show answer
Answer: A. Limiting-out stage
In the limiting-out stage, success means reaching the limit. Most hunters move past this stage over time.
Question 20 of 25
Which field carry gives you the best control and lets you raise the firearm quickly?
- The two-hand (ready) carry
- The shoulder carry, muzzle behind
- The sling carry, on the back
- The trail carry, in one hand
Show answer
Answer: A. The two-hand (ready) carry
In the two-hand carry, both hands hold the firearm with the muzzle up and ahead, so you control it fully.
Question 21 of 25
Why is fur colour a poor way to tell a black bear from a grizzly?
- Bears change colour from season to season
- Only grizzlies can be brown, and only black bears can be black
- Both species can be black, brown or blond
- Colour is only hard to see at night
Show answer
Answer: C. Both species can be black, brown or blond
Black bears can be brown or cinnamon, and grizzlies can be very dark. Use body shape instead.
Question 22 of 25
Which federal course must you pass before applying for a Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL)?
- A provincial boating safety course
- A provincial bowhunter education course and exam
- The Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC)
- A standard first aid and CPR course
Show answer
Answer: C. The Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC)
The CFSC student report form is the proof of completion needed before you can get a PAL.
Question 23 of 25
Which level of government manages migratory game birds, such as ducks and geese, in Canada?
- Each municipality
- The federal government
- Local hunting clubs
- Provincial governments alone
Show answer
Answer: B. The federal government
Migratory birds are managed federally under the Migratory Birds Convention Act.
Question 24 of 25
What is one of the most important things to do before any hunting trip?
- Turn off your phone so the battery lasts all week
- Try a new area without a map, because it is the fastest way to learn the land
- Leave a trip plan saying where you will be and when you will return
- Pack only enough food and water for lunch
Show answer
Answer: C. Leave a trip plan saying where you will be and when you will return
If you do not return, searchers will know where to look and when to start.
Question 25 of 25
What is the first step of PROVE, the routine for checking that a firearm is unloaded?
- Look down the bore from the muzzle end
- Point the muzzle in the safest available direction
- Open the action as quickly as you can
- Remove the magazine and put it in your pocket
Show answer
Answer: B. Point the muzzle in the safest available direction
PROVE starts with pointing the muzzle in the safest direction, so nothing bad happens if the firearm fires while you check it.

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