Nova Scotia Hunter Education Practice Test 2026: Practice test 3

Practice test 3 of 5 for the Nova Scotia Hunter Education Practice Test: 25 more questions with answers and explanations.

Hunting
Nova Scotia
118 questions
Checked October 10, 2026

Question 1 of 25
Why should you never "dry-fire" a bow or crossbow (release the string without an arrow or bolt)?
- It wastes arrows
- It only matters for crossbows, not bows
- It makes the string too tight to draw again
- It can break the bow and injure you
Show answer
Answer: D. It can break the bow and injure you
Without an arrow to take the energy, the bow can be damaged or come apart.
Question 2 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 3 of 25
When shooting a crossbow, where must your fingers and thumb be?
- Resting on the string to feel it
- Wrapped over the rail to steady it
- Below the rail, out of the path of the string
- In front of the bolt to guide it
Show answer
Answer: C. Below the rail, out of the path of the string
A crossbow string moves with great force and can badly injure fingers in its path.
Question 4 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 5 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 6 of 25
You see someone hunting illegally. What should you do?
- Note details from a safe distance and report it to a conservation officer
- Walk up and confront them while holding your firearm so they know you mean it
- Ignore it, since it is not your job to get involved
- Post photos online first so others can identify them
Show answer
Answer: A. Note details from a safe distance and report it to a conservation officer
Every province has a line for reporting poaching. Safe, accurate details help officers act.
Question 7 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 8 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 9 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 10 of 25
When is the shoulder carry (muzzle up and behind you) a poor choice?
- When someone is beside you
- When you are at the back of the group
- When someone is walking behind you
- When you are walking alone
Show answer
Answer: C. When someone is walking behind you
The shoulder carry points the muzzle behind you, so use it only when nobody is behind you.
Question 11 of 25
What is a widely recognized distress signal?
- Waving one arm above your head
- One long shout every hour, followed by a single flash of light
- Two short flashes of a light
- Three of anything, such as three whistle blasts or three fires
Show answer
Answer: D. Three of anything, such as three whistle blasts or three fires
Signals in threes are widely recognized as a call for help.
Question 12 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 13 of 25
To hunt ducks and geese in Canada, what federal document do you need in addition to provincial requirements?
- A federal fishing licence
- A boat operator card only
- A Possession and Acquisition Licence for ducks
- A Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit
Show answer
Answer: D. A Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit
Waterfowl hunters need a federal Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit. Saskatchewan's licence page reminds youth waterfowl hunters of this.
Question 14 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 15 of 25
How should the tether from your harness to the tree be set up?
- Short, with little slack, attached above head height
- Attached near your feet, below the platform
- Long, so you can move around the platform freely and stand up to shoot
- Loose, so it hangs below the platform
Show answer
Answer: A. Short, with little slack, attached above head height
A short tether above your head keeps any fall very short, so you can climb back onto the platform.
Question 16 of 25
In the ACTS safety rules, what does the "T" stand for?
- Trigger finger off the trigger and out of the trigger guard
- Test-fire the firearm at a target before every hunt to check the sights
- Take the safety off as soon as you start walking
- Tell your hunting partner whenever you see game
Show answer
Answer: A. Trigger finger off the trigger and out of the trigger guard
Keep your finger off the trigger and outside the trigger guard until you are ready to shoot.
Question 17 of 25
How should you hand a firearm to another person?
- Toss it gently to them
- Unload it, open the action, and keep the muzzle pointed safely
- Close the action so nothing falls out, and hand it over with the safety on and the barrel first
- Hand it over by the barrel with the muzzle toward you
Show answer
Answer: B. Unload it, open the action, and keep the muzzle pointed safely
An open, unloaded action shows the other person the firearm cannot fire.
Question 18 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 19 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 20 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.
Question 21 of 25
How do mule deer antlers usually differ from white-tailed deer antlers?
- They fork into two branches, which can fork again
- They are broad and flat, like a shovel
- All their points grow straight up from one main beam on each side
- They never grow more than two points
Show answer
Answer: A. They fork into two branches, which can fork again
White-tailed deer points grow up from one main beam. Mule deer antlers branch into forks.
Question 22 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 23 of 25
Why should big game be field dressed soon after the kill?
- To attract other animals to the area
- To cool the carcass quickly so the meat does not spoil
- Because the law requires it within one minute of the kill in every province
- To make the animal look better in photos
Show answer
Answer: B. To cool the carcass quickly so the meat does not spoil
Heat and bacteria spoil meat. Remove the organs and let the body heat escape.
Question 24 of 25
Right after you shoot at an animal, what should you do?
- Fire more shots into the bush where it went
- Leave the area if you did not see it fall
- Run after it right away so it cannot get far, and keep it moving until it tires out completely
- Watch where it goes, mark the spot where it stood, and wait quietly before following
Show answer
Answer: D. Watch where it goes, mark the spot where it stood, and wait quietly before following
Waiting lets a hit animal lie down. Marking the spot helps you find the first signs of a hit.
Question 25 of 25
What does "fair chase" mean?
- Giving the animal a head start before you shoot
- Hunting without an unfair or improper advantage over the animal
- Chasing animals with a vehicle until they get too tired to run any farther
- Shooting animals only when they are running
Show answer
Answer: B. Hunting without an unfair or improper advantage over the animal
Fair chase is a key part of hunter ethics and respect for wildlife.

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