Ontario Hunter Education Practice Test 2026: Practice test 5

Practice test 5 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
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 2 of 25
Two hunters reach a fence. What is a safe way for them to cross?
- One person climbs over while the other covers them with a loaded firearm
- Unload both firearms; one person holds both while the other crosses, then hands them over
- Each person climbs over carefully while holding their own loaded firearm with the safety on
- Both lean their loaded firearms on the fence and climb over together
Show answer
Answer: B. Unload both firearms; one person holds both while the other crosses, then hands them over
With both firearms unloaded and actions open, one hunter can safely hand them across to the other.
Question 3 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 4 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.
Question 5 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 6 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 7 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 8 of 25
A deer runs out of hunter 3's zone and into hunter 2's zone. What should hunter 3 do?
- Keep following the deer with the muzzle and shoot when it is clear of hunter 2
- Stop swinging with the deer and not shoot outside their own zone
- Shout for hunter 2 to get down, then shoot over them
- Shoot quickly before the deer leaves their own zone
Show answer
Answer: B. Stop swinging with the deer and not shoot outside their own zone
Swinging the muzzle across a partner's zone is a common cause of hunting incidents.
Question 9 of 25
Which feature helps tell a mule deer from a white-tailed deer?
- A mule deer raises a wide, white tail like a flag when it runs away
- Male mule deer never grow antlers
- A mule deer has small, short ears
- A mule deer has a narrow white tail with a black tip
Show answer
Answer: D. A mule deer has a narrow white tail with a black tip
White-tailed deer have a broad tail that is brown on top and white underneath. Mule deer have a thin, black-tipped tail and large ears.
Question 10 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 11 of 25
You slip and the muzzle of your firearm goes into mud. What should you do before you shoot again?
- Fire a shot to blow the mud out
- Tap the barrel on a tree
- Wipe the outside of the barrel and carry on
- Unload it and check that the bore is clear
Show answer
Answer: D. Unload it and check that the bore is clear
Mud, snow or other debris in the barrel can make it burst. Always unload and examine the bore.
Question 12 of 25
Why should you avoid shots at running animals or at very long range?
- They damage the barrel and wear out the firearm
- They are only a problem when other hunters are near
- They are much more likely to wound the animal instead of killing it quickly
- They are against the law in every province and can cost you your licence for life
Show answer
Answer: C. They are much more likely to wound the animal instead of killing it quickly
Ethical hunters only take shots they are confident will hit the vital area.
Question 13 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 14 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 15 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 16 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 17 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 18 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 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
In the tree stand diagram, what is item 1?
- A waist belt
- A single chest strap
- A full-body harness
- A rope sling
Show answer
Answer: C. A full-body harness
A full-body harness spreads the force of a fall over your body and is the safety system to use in a tree stand.
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
Is it acceptable to let the edible meat of big game spoil?
- Yes, if the animal is a small one
- Yes, as long as you keep the antlers and the hide for yourself
- No. Wasting edible meat is illegal and unethical
- Yes, once the hunting season has ended
Show answer
Answer: C. No. Wasting edible meat is illegal and unethical
Provinces such as Ontario, Alberta and Manitoba ban abandoning or wasting the edible flesh of big game.
Question 23 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 24 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 25 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.

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