Missouri Hunter Education Practice Test 2026: Practice test 5

Practice test 5 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
When should you NOT use the trail carry, which points the muzzle ahead and down?
- When someone is walking behind you on the trail
- When someone is walking in front of you
- When you are alone in an open field
- When you are on a road
Show answer
Answer: B. When someone is walking in front of you
In the trail carry, the muzzle points ahead, toward anyone in front.
Question 2 of 25
A hunting partner hands you a shotgun and says it is unloaded. What should you do?
- Look into the muzzle to check the barrel
- Point it in a safe direction and check the chamber and magazine yourself
- Pull the trigger once to be sure
- Trust your partner and close the action right away so dirt cannot get inside
Show answer
Answer: B. Point it in a safe direction and check the chamber and magazine yourself
Never take anyone's word that a gun is unloaded. Check it yourself with the muzzle pointed safely.
Question 3 of 25
What nearly happened to the American bison by the late 1800s?
- It was almost wiped out by unregulated killing
- It became a farm animal only
- It spread across the whole continent, from coast to coast
- Nothing changed
Show answer
Answer: A. It was almost wiped out by unregulated killing
Bison numbers fell from millions to very few. Protection helped them recover.
Question 4 of 25
A hunter enjoys the whole experience, shares it and helps teach others. Which stage is this?
- Limiting-out stage
- Sportsman stage
- Trophy stage
- Shooter stage
Show answer
Answer: B. Sportsman stage
The sportsman stage values the full outdoor experience and passing on skills.
Question 5 of 25
How should broadhead-tipped arrows be carried?
- In a back pocket
- In a quiver with a hood that covers the broadheads
- Loose in your hand
- Tucked in your belt, with the sharp tips pointing down
Show answer
Answer: B. In a quiver with a hood that covers the broadheads
Broadheads are razor sharp and can cause serious cuts in a fall.
Question 6 of 25
In the TAB-K rules, what does the "B" stand for?
- Blend in with camouflage from head to toe
- Be certain of your target and what is in front of and beyond it
- Bring extra ammunition on every trip
- Buy a new license before each trip into the field, even if your old one is valid
Show answer
Answer: B. Be certain of your target and what is in front of and beyond it
You are responsible for every shot, including where it goes if it misses or passes through.
Question 7 of 25
How do hunters pay for wildlife conservation in the US?
- They do not pay anything
- Only through donations to private clubs and national hunting organizations
- Only through federal income tax
- Through license fees and excise taxes on guns, ammunition and archery gear
Show answer
Answer: D. Through license fees and excise taxes on guns, ammunition and archery gear
This "user pays" system funds state wildlife agencies and benefits all wildlife.
Question 8 of 25
Which state started the first mandatory hunter education program, in 1949?
- California
- Florida
- New York
- Texas
Show answer
Answer: C. New York
Today every state offers hunter education, and most require it for new hunters.
Question 9 of 25
Do states accept hunter education certificates from other states?
- Only if you live there
- No, you must retake the full course in every state where you plan to hunt
- Only for bowhunting
- Generally yes; most states accept another state's approved course
Show answer
Answer: D. Generally yes; most states accept another state's approved course
Michigan and Missouri, for example, accept approved hunter education certificates from other states.
Question 10 of 25
You fall into cold water. What should you do first?
- Take off your life jacket so you can swim faster to the shore
- Swim hard to shore right away
- Keep your head above water and get your breathing under control
- Shout until you are tired
Show answer
Answer: C. Keep your head above water and get your breathing under control
Cold shock causes gasping for about the first minute. Control your breathing, then act.
Question 11 of 25
How should the tree strap and tether be set?
- At knee height
- Tied to the platform
- Above head height with little slack
- Loose, so you can lean out to shoot
Show answer
Answer: C. Above head height with little slack
A short tether above your head keeps any fall short so you can get back on the stand.
Question 12 of 25
About how far can a .22 Long Rifle bullet travel?
- Less than a quarter mile
- About 50 yards
- More than a mile
- About 100 yards
Show answer
Answer: C. More than a mile
Even small rifle bullets can travel a long way, so you must know what is far beyond your target.
Question 13 of 25
What is hypothermia?
- Dehydration
- A high fever
- A dangerous drop in body core temperature
- A bad sunburn
Show answer
Answer: C. A dangerous drop in body core temperature
Wind, wet clothes and cold water pull heat from the body fast.
Question 14 of 25
You fall and snow gets into the muzzle. What should you do before shooting again?
- Unload and check that the barrel is clear
- Fire a shot to clear it
- Shake it and keep hunting
- Blow into the muzzle to push the snow out
Show answer
Answer: A. Unload and check that the barrel is clear
A blocked barrel can burst when fired. Always check the bore after a fall.
Question 15 of 25
Why should you never dry-fire a bow or crossbow?
- It only affects the sight
- It makes the bow quieter and much less accurate
- It wastes arrows
- It can damage the bow and injure the shooter
Show answer
Answer: D. It can damage the bow and injure the shooter
Without an arrow to absorb the energy, the bow can break.
Question 16 of 25
You are hanging in your harness after a fall. Why must you act quickly?
- You will scare deer away from the area for the rest of the hunting season
- It is not urgent
- Hanging still can cut off blood flow to the legs and become life-threatening
- The harness will tear in a few seconds
Show answer
Answer: C. Hanging still can cut off blood flow to the legs and become life-threatening
Use a suspension relief strap to stand and move your legs, and call for help.
Question 17 of 25
How does a broadhead kill game?
- By cutting blood vessels and organs, causing fast blood loss
- By breaking the large bones of the legs and the shoulders
- By poison
- By shock
Show answer
Answer: A. By cutting blood vessels and organs, causing fast blood loss
Arrows kill by bleeding, so they must hit the vital area.
Question 18 of 25
Which law, passed in 1918, protects migratory birds in the United States?
- The Endangered Species Act
- The Migratory Bird Treaty Act
- The Lacey Act
- The Pittman-Robertson Act
Show answer
Answer: B. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act
It put into effect a 1916 treaty with Great Britain, acting for Canada.
Question 19 of 25
On a hot early-season hunt, a partner is sweating heavily, dizzy and weak. What should you do?
- Make them keep walking
- Move them to shade, cool them, and have them rest and sip water
- Cover them with a heavy coat
- Give them an energy drink and leave them to rest alone in the sun
Show answer
Answer: B. Move them to shade, cool them, and have them rest and sip water
These are signs of heat exhaustion. If the person becomes confused or stops sweating, call 911.
Question 20 of 25
Why do states ask hunters to report their harvest?
- To pick lottery winners
- The data helps biologists set seasons and bag limits
- To sell hunters' contact information to outdoor stores
- Only to collect fees
Show answer
Answer: B. The data helps biologists set seasons and bag limits
Harvest reports show how many animals were taken and where.
Question 21 of 25
In the diagram, why is shot 1 safe and shot 2 unsafe?
- Shot 2 is safe because the house is far
- Shot 1 is closer
- Shot 1 ends in an earth bank; shot 2 is against open sky, with a house hidden beyond the ridge
- Both are safe, because the hunter is kneeling and aiming very carefully at the deer
Show answer
Answer: C. Shot 1 ends in an earth bank; shot 2 is against open sky, with a house hidden beyond the ridge
A safe shot has a backstop. Never shoot at an animal on a ridge or skyline.
Question 22 of 25
How should you get your gun or bow into a tree stand?
- Have someone toss it up
- Carry it loaded in one hand
- Pull it up unloaded with a haul line after you are secure
- Carry it on your back while you climb so your hands are free
Show answer
Answer: C. Pull it up unloaded with a haul line after you are secure
Climb with both hands free, then raise unloaded firearms and bows with a haul line.
Question 23 of 25
A rabbit runs from hunter 2's zone into hunter 1's zone. What should hunter 2 do?
- Stop and not shoot outside their own zone
- Step in front of hunter 1
- Shout a warning to hunter 1 and then shoot quickly
- Swing with the rabbit and shoot
Show answer
Answer: A. Stop and not shoot outside their own zone
Swinging the muzzle into a partner's zone is a common cause of hunting incidents.
Question 24 of 25
Which direction is a "safe direction" to point a firearm?
- Always straight up, since bullets fired into the air cannot come back down with force
- Toward your hunting partner's feet
- Always at your feet
- One where an accidental shot could not injure anyone or damage property
Show answer
Answer: D. One where an accidental shot could not injure anyone or damage property
What is safe depends on the situation. Think about people, buildings and hard surfaces.
Question 25 of 25
Before hunting on private land, what should you do?
- Park out of sight
- Nothing, as long as there are no signs posted
- Get the landowner's permission, ideally in writing
- Ask a neighbor
Show answer
Answer: C. Get the landowner's permission, ideally in writing
Getting permission builds good relationships and is required by law in many places.

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