Ontario Hunter Education Practice Test 2026: Practice test 3

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

Hunting
Ontario
124 questions
Checked October 10, 2026

Question 1 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.
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
What does the mechanical safety on a firearm do?
- It unloads the chamber when you switch it on
- It blocks part of the firing mechanism, but it can fail
- It locks the action closed so it can be stored loaded
- It makes the firearm completely impossible to fire by accident
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Answer: B. It blocks part of the firing mechanism, but it can fail
A safety is a mechanical device that can wear out or break. It never replaces safe muzzle control.
Question 4 of 25
Which animal has broad, flat (palmated) antlers?
- Moose
- White-tailed deer
- Mule deer
- Elk
Show answer
Answer: A. Moose
Bull moose grow large, flat, palm-shaped antlers. Elk and deer have antlers made of round beams and tines.
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
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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
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 7 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.
Question 8 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 9 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 10 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 11 of 25
Look at the diagram. Which hunter can other hunters see most easily?
- The hunter in the orange hat and vest (1 and 2)
- Hunter 3, because camouflage shows up well against the trees and bushes
- Both hunters are equally easy to see
- Neither hunter can be seen among the trees
Show answer
Answer: A. The hunter in the orange hat and vest (1 and 2)
Blaze orange stands out against trees and bushes, so other hunters can see you and not mistake you for game.
Question 12 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 13 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 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
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 16 of 25
Three hunters walk in a line, numbered 1, 2 and 3 from left to right. Where may hunter 2, in the middle, shoot?
- Anywhere in front of the line
- Into the zones of hunters 1 and 3 if game crosses
- Only into the zone straight ahead
- Behind the line if game doubles back
Show answer
Answer: C. Only into the zone straight ahead
Each hunter shoots only into their own zone of fire. Hunter 2's zone is straight ahead.
Question 17 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 18 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 19 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 20 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 21 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 22 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
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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 23 of 25
What should you do with your firearm before you climb a steep bank, cross a creek on a log, or get into a boat?
- Hold it with your finger on the trigger for balance
- Put the safety on and keep it loaded
- Unload it
- Carry it by the barrel
Show answer
Answer: C. Unload it
Unload any time you could slip or fall, because a fall can make a loaded firearm fire.
Question 24 of 25
When should you validate and attach a big game tag?
- Only if a conservation officer asks for it
- When you get home and unload the animal
- Right after the kill, as your regulations require
- When you drop the meat off at the butcher shop
Show answer
Answer: C. Right after the kill, as your regulations require
Tag rules are strict. Follow your province's regulations on when and how to attach the tag.
Question 25 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.

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