Nova Scotia Hunter Education Practice Test 2026: Practice test 4

Practice test 4 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
What is the safe rule about alcohol, cannabis and other drugs while hunting?
- Do not use them before or while handling firearms or hunting
- A small amount is fine if you are an experienced hunter who knows your limits
- They are fine once you are settled in the tree stand
- They are fine as long as you only hunt with a bow
Show answer
Answer: A. Do not use them before or while handling firearms or hunting
Alcohol and drugs slow your reactions and affect your judgment, which leads to accidents.
Question 2 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 3 of 25
What is "carrying capacity"?
- The number of hunters allowed in an area
- The weight a hunter can carry out of the bush
- The number of animals an area can support over time
- The amount of cargo space in a hunting vehicle
Show answer
Answer: C. The number of animals an area can support over time
When a population grows past carrying capacity, habitat is damaged and animals starve or get sick.
Question 4 of 25
How should arrows with broadheads be carried?
- In your jacket pocket with the tips up
- In a quiver that covers the broadheads
- Tucked under your belt at your side
- Loose in your hand, ready to nock
Show answer
Answer: B. In a quiver that covers the broadheads
Broadheads are razor sharp. A covered quiver protects you if you trip or fall.
Question 5 of 25
What are the four basic parts of wildlife habitat?
- Food, roads, fences and towns
- Trees, rocks, sun and snow
- Food, water, shelter (cover) and space
- Water, hunters, predators, weather and roads
Show answer
Answer: C. Food, water, shelter (cover) and space
Animals need food, water, shelter and enough space, arranged so they can reach them.
Question 6 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 7 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 8 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 9 of 25
Why can a hunter wear blaze orange and still hunt deer?
- Deer see colours differently, so orange does not stand out to them as it does to us
- Orange clothing is only worn after the animal has been shot
- Deer are attracted to orange, so it helps bring them closer
- Deer are fully colour-blind, so they cannot see any bright colours at all in daylight
Show answer
Answer: A. Deer see colours differently, so orange does not stand out to them as it does to us
Blaze orange is very visible to people but does not stand out the same way to deer. Movement is more likely to alert them.
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
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 12 of 25
Which is an early sign of hypothermia?
- Shivering that will not stop, and clumsy hands
- A red, sweaty face and hot, dry skin
- Itchy skin on the arms and legs
- Feeling very thirsty and hungry
Show answer
Answer: A. Shivering that will not stop, and clumsy hands
As hypothermia gets worse, a person may stumble, mumble and become confused.
Question 13 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 14 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 15 of 25
Many hunting licences include a wildlife habitat stamp or certificate. What does it help pay for?
- Hunting trips for conservation officers
- Repairs to hunters' firearms
- Conservation of wildlife habitat
- Road repairs in rural areas
Show answer
Answer: C. Conservation of wildlife habitat
Habitat fees, such as Nova Scotia's Wildlife Habitat Stamp, are a way hunters help pay for conservation.
Question 16 of 25
After unloading, how should you get the firearm to the other side of a fence when you are alone?
- Throw it gently over the fence onto soft ground
- Hold it over your head with one hand as you climb
- Lay it on the far side, muzzle pointing away, then cross away from the muzzle
- Lean it against a fence post with the safety on, then climb over right beside it
Show answer
Answer: C. Lay it on the far side, muzzle pointing away, then cross away from the muzzle
Laying the unloaded firearm on the far side, muzzle away, means you are never in front of the muzzle while you cross.
Question 17 of 25
You fall and are hanging in your harness. Why is it urgent to get help or relieve pressure on your legs?
- The harness straps will slowly loosen and let you slip out of them completely
- Your movement will scare away all the animals nearby
- Hanging still in a harness can quickly cut off blood flow to the legs
- It is not urgent, as long as the harness is holding you
Show answer
Answer: C. Hanging still in a harness can quickly cut off blood flow to the legs
Hanging without moving can become life-threatening (suspension trauma). Use a relief strap to stand, move your legs and call for help.
Question 18 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 19 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 20 of 25
The trail carry points the muzzle ahead and down. When is it unsafe?
- When someone is walking in front of you
- When someone is walking behind you on the trail
- When you are walking alone through open fields
- When you are on flat ground
Show answer
Answer: A. When someone is walking in front of you
In the trail carry the muzzle points ahead, so it should not be used when another person is in front of you.
Question 21 of 25
Which of these makes a good backstop for a shot?
- A flat rock face or cliff behind the animal
- Open sky above a wide, flat field
- A hill or earth bank behind the target
- Open water behind the animal
Show answer
Answer: C. A hill or earth bank behind the target
Soft earth safely stops bullets. Water and rock can cause ricochets, and open sky stops nothing.
Question 22 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 23 of 25
Before hunting on private land, what should you do?
- Park out of sight of the house
- Only call a conservation officer
- Get permission from the owner or occupant
- Nothing, as long as the land has no signs posted on it
Show answer
Answer: C. Get permission from the owner or occupant
You need the owner's or occupant's consent. In Alberta, occupied land is protected even without signs.
Question 24 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 25 of 25
Why is cotton a poor choice for cold-weather hunting clothing?
- Cotton clothing is not allowed by law
- Cotton is too bright and scares game
- Cotton is too heavy and stiff even when it is dry
- Cotton holds water and loses its warmth when wet
Show answer
Answer: D. Cotton holds water and loses its warmth when wet
Wool and synthetic fabrics keep more warmth when damp.

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