Nova Scotia Hunter Education Practice Test 2026: Practice test 5

Practice test 5 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
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 2 of 25
A friend hands you a rifle and says, "Don't worry, it's unloaded." What should you do?
- Look down the barrel from the muzzle end
- Pull the trigger to make sure
- Trust your friend and put it in the truck
- Keep the muzzle pointed safely and check it yourself
Show answer
Answer: D. Keep the muzzle pointed safely and check it yourself
Treat every firearm as loaded until you have checked it yourself. Never look down the muzzle or pull the trigger to test it.
Question 3 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
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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 4 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 5 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 6 of 25
What is a "safe direction" to point a firearm?
- Toward the nearest tree, since trees stop bullets
- Always at the ground near your feet, in every situation
- A direction where an accidental shot could not hurt anyone or damage property
- Always straight up in the air, since bullets fired upward cannot hurt anyone below
Show answer
Answer: C. A direction where an accidental shot could not hurt anyone or damage property
The safe direction depends on where people, buildings and hard surfaces are. Straight up or straight down is not always safe.
Question 7 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 8 of 25
You are lost and night is coming in cold, wet weather. What is usually your first priority?
- Finding food to keep your strength up
- Climbing the highest hill
- Walking out in the dark
- Shelter, to stay warm and dry
Show answer
Answer: D. Shelter, to stay warm and dry
Cold and wet can kill in hours. Food can wait for days.
Question 9 of 25
You come to a wire fence while hunting alone. What do you do first, as shown in the diagram?
- Push the loaded firearm through the wires
- Unload the firearm and open the action
- Lean the loaded firearm against a fence post
- Climb over while holding the firearm
Show answer
Answer: B. Unload the firearm and open the action
Always unload before crossing a fence, log, ditch or other obstacle where you could slip.
Question 10 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 11 of 25
You have wounded an animal. What is your duty?
- Leave it alone, since most wounded animals recover on their own within a few days
- Shoot another animal so the day is not wasted
- Make every reasonable effort to find it and finish it quickly
- Look for it until dark, then stop for good
Show answer
Answer: C. Make every reasonable effort to find it and finish it quickly
Manitoba's rules, for example, say hunters must make every reasonable effort to retrieve an animal they kill or injure.
Question 12 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 13 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 14 of 25
When should a bowhunter nock an arrow?
- As soon as you leave the vehicle in the morning
- While walking through thick brush toward your spot
- Only when ready to shoot at a target that has been identified
- While climbing into the tree stand, to save time
Show answer
Answer: C. Only when ready to shoot at a target that has been identified
A nocked arrow can be released by accident, so nock only when you are about to shoot.
Question 15 of 25
Is the Canadian Firearms Safety Course the same as provincial hunter education?
- Yes, one replaces the other in every province and territory across Canada
- No, but hunter education is the federal course
- No. They are separate courses, and provinces require their own
- Yes, but only for people who hunt with a bow
Show answer
Answer: C. No. They are separate courses, and provinces require their own
Saskatchewan and Manitoba, for example, say the CFSC does not meet their hunter education requirement.
Question 16 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 17 of 25
In the ACTS safety rules, what does the "S" stand for?
- Sight in the scope again every morning
- See that the firearm is unloaded: PROVE it safe
- Shoot only at targets that are standing still
- Store your ammunition in a jacket pocket
Show answer
Answer: B. See that the firearm is unloaded: PROVE it safe
The last ACTS rule tells you to check for yourself that the firearm is unloaded, using the PROVE steps.
Question 18 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 19 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 20 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 21 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 22 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 23 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 24 of 25
How should you help someone with mild hypothermia?
- Get them out of the wind and wet and put dry layers on them
- Make them walk fast in the cold to warm up
- Give them a drink of alcohol to warm them up
- Rub their arms and legs hard to get blood moving
Show answer
Answer: A. Get them out of the wind and wet and put dry layers on them
Warm the person gently from the core. Never give alcohol, and get medical help if signs are severe.
Question 25 of 25
In the ACTS safety rules, what does the "C" stand for?
- Carry the firearm in a hard case at all times
- Control the muzzle direction at all times
- Clean the firearm after every hunt
- Check the weather before you leave home
Show answer
Answer: B. Control the muzzle direction at all times
Controlling where the muzzle points is the rule that prevents most injuries if a firearm fires by accident.

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