Missouri Hunter Education Practice Test 2026: Practice test 4

Practice test 4 of 6 for the Missouri Hunter Education Practice Test: 25 more questions with answers and explanations.

Hunting
Missouri
132 questions
Checked October 10, 2026

Question 1 of 25
Which feature helps identify a mule deer?
- A wide tail raised like a white flag when it runs away
- Palm-shaped antlers
- A narrow white tail with a black tip and large ears
- Small, short ears
Show answer
Answer: C. A narrow white tail with a black tip and large ears
White-tailed deer have a broad tail, brown on top and white underneath, that they often raise when running.
Question 2 of 25
You are calling turkeys and see another hunter coming toward you. What should you do?
- Stay silent and completely still until they walk past your setup
- Make a gobble call so they know where you are
- Wave your hand quickly
- Call out in a clear, loud voice to let them know you are there
Show answer
Answer: D. Call out in a clear, loud voice to let them know you are there
Never wave or use a turkey call to alert a hunter. Your voice tells them you are a person.
Question 3 of 25
What is a common distress signal?
- Three of anything, such as three whistle blasts or three fires
- Waving a hat once
- Two short flashes of light
- One long shout
Show answer
Answer: A. Three of anything, such as three whistle blasts or three fires
Signals in threes are recognized as a call for help.
Question 4 of 25
Which ammunition should you use?
- Whatever is cheapest
- Any shell that fits in the chamber and lets the action close
- Any shell of a similar length
- Only ammunition that matches the data stamp on the barrel
Show answer
Answer: D. Only ammunition that matches the data stamp on the barrel
The barrel is stamped with its gauge or caliber. The wrong ammunition can cause a dangerous failure.
Question 5 of 25
What is the difference between antlers and true horns?
- Antlers are shed every year; true horns usually grow for life
- Horns are shed every spring
- There is no difference
- Antlers are made of keratin, like fingernails, and are never shed
Show answer
Answer: A. Antlers are shed every year; true horns usually grow for life
Deer, elk and moose grow antlers. Bison, sheep and goats grow horns.
Question 6 of 25
When do many tree stand falls happen?
- While climbing up or down, or getting into or out of the stand
- Only after dark
- Only on ladder stands that are more than 20 years old and rusty
- Only while sleeping in the stand
Show answer
Answer: A. While climbing up or down, or getting into or out of the stand
Moving between the ladder or steps and the platform is a risky time, so stay connected the whole way.
Question 7 of 25
Where should you aim for a quick, clean kill on big game?
- The hindquarters
- The neck
- The heart-lung area
- The head
Show answer
Answer: C. The heart-lung area
The vital area is the largest target that kills quickly and wastes the least meat.
Question 8 of 25
You see someone poaching. What should you do?
- Note details from a safe distance and report it to a game warden
- Confront them with your firearm so they know you are serious about it
- Follow them home
- Ignore it
Show answer
Answer: A. Note details from a safe distance and report it to a game warden
Wildlife agencies have tip lines, and accurate details help officers act.
Question 9 of 25
When should you nock an arrow?
- When you leave your vehicle
- While climbing a tree stand, to save time later when game appears
- Only when you are ready to shoot at an identified target
- While walking through brush
Show answer
Answer: C. Only when you are ready to shoot at an identified target
A nocked arrow can be released by accident.
Question 10 of 25
Which of these is a safe rule about alcohol and drugs?
- Do not use them before or during hunting or shooting
- They are fine if you hunt with a bow
- A little is fine for experienced hunters who know their limits
- They are fine in a tree stand
Show answer
Answer: A. Do not use them before or during hunting or shooting
Alcohol and drugs slow reactions and hurt judgment.
Question 11 of 25
Why should a bowhunter usually wait before tracking a hit animal?
- Arrows only work after about an hour
- An animal that is pushed may run far and leave less blood
- It is required by federal law for all bowhunters in every state
- To let other hunters go first
Show answer
Answer: B. An animal that is pushed may run far and leave less blood
Giving the animal time to lie down makes recovery more likely.
Question 12 of 25
You hunt alone and reach a fence. What is your first step, as shown in the diagram?
- Unload the firearm and open the action
- Lean the loaded gun on a post
- Pass the loaded gun through the wires first
- Climb over while holding the firearm
Show answer
Answer: A. Unload the firearm and open the action
Always unload before crossing a fence or other obstacle.
Question 13 of 25
Is it acceptable to leave edible game meat to spoil in the field?
- Yes, at the end of the season
- No. Wasting game is unethical and illegal in many states
- Yes, for small game
- Yes, as long as you take the antlers and the hide home
Show answer
Answer: B. No. Wasting game is unethical and illegal in many states
Ethical hunters use the meat of the animals they take.
Question 14 of 25
Which feature helps tell a grizzly bear from a black bear?
- A black bear is always black and is never brown or blond
- A grizzly has a shoulder hump and a dished face profile
- A grizzly is always brown
- A grizzly has taller, pointed ears
Show answer
Answer: B. A grizzly has a shoulder hump and a dished face profile
Fur color is not reliable. Look at the hump, face profile, ears and claws.
Question 15 of 25
What should you carry while hunting in a state that requires hunter education?
- Your license and proof of hunter education (or a valid exemption)
- Only your gun's receipt
- Nothing, as long as you are hunting on private land with permission
- Only your driver's license
Show answer
Answer: A. Your license and proof of hunter education (or a valid exemption)
Texas, for example, requires hunters to carry proof of certification or deferral while hunting.
Question 16 of 25
Where must your fingers be when you shoot a crossbow?
- Below the rail, out of the string's path
- Over the top of the rail
- In front of the bolt to help guide it
- On the string
Show answer
Answer: A. Below the rail, out of the string's path
A crossbow string can cause serious injury to fingers in its path.
Question 17 of 25
What should duck hunters wear in a boat?
- Heavy waders only
- Nothing extra
- A life jacket only if they cannot swim
- A life jacket (PFD) at all times
Show answer
Answer: D. A life jacket (PFD) at all times
A fall overboard into cold water can quickly become deadly, and a life jacket only helps if you are wearing it.
Question 18 of 25
Where should hunter orange be worn to be most effective?
- On the front only, where other hunters usually see you
- On the boots only
- On the head and upper body, visible from all sides
- On a pack only, so it can be removed
Show answer
Answer: C. On the head and upper body, visible from all sides
Laws such as Pennsylvania's require orange on the head, chest and back, visible from 360 degrees.
Question 19 of 25
A partner has a deep cut that is bleeding heavily. What should you do first?
- Give them water and wait for it to stop on its own
- Send them to walk out alone
- Rinse it and leave it open
- Press firmly on the wound and call for help
Show answer
Answer: D. Press firmly on the wound and call for help
Firm, direct pressure is the first step to stop severe bleeding.
Question 20 of 25
You pull the trigger and nothing happens. What should you do first?
- Turn to show your partner
- Open the action right away and look inside the chamber to see what went wrong
- Look down the barrel
- Keep the muzzle in a safe direction and wait before opening the action
Show answer
Answer: D. Keep the muzzle in a safe direction and wait before opening the action
A cartridge may fire late (a hang fire). Wait with the muzzle pointed safely, then unload carefully.
Question 21 of 25
What is true about a firearm's mechanical safety?
- It only works on rifles
- It can fail, so it never replaces safe muzzle control
- It also unloads the gun
- It makes the gun completely impossible to fire by accident
Show answer
Answer: B. It can fail, so it never replaces safe muzzle control
Safeties are mechanical and can wear out or break. Always control the muzzle.
Question 22 of 25
What should you always do before a hunting trip?
- Leave a plan with someone: where you will be and when you will return
- Pack only lunch
- Go to a new area without a map, because exploring is the best way to learn the land
- Turn off your phone
Show answer
Answer: A. Leave a plan with someone: where you will be and when you will return
If you do not return, rescuers will know where to search.
Question 23 of 25
How should you carry a harvested wild turkey out of the woods?
- Over your shoulder in full view
- Wrapped in blaze orange so it is not mistaken for a live bird
- Held up high so other hunters can clearly see its beard and fan
- Hidden in camouflage
Show answer
Answer: B. Wrapped in blaze orange so it is not mistaken for a live bird
Covering the bird keeps other hunters from seeing turkey colors moving through the woods.
Question 24 of 25
What should you do before you climb a steep bank, jump a ditch or get into a boat?
- Put the safety on and keep it loaded
- Unload your firearm
- Hold the barrel for balance
- Put your finger on the trigger
Show answer
Answer: B. Unload your firearm
Unload whenever there is a chance you could slip or fall.
Question 25 of 25
A hunter focuses on doing things a certain way, such as hunting with a muzzleloader or a bow. Which stage is this?
- Method stage
- Trophy stage
- Shooter stage
- Limiting-out stage
Show answer
Answer: A. Method stage
In the method stage, how you hunt becomes more important than what you take.

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