New York Hunter Education Practice Test 2026: Practice test 5

Practice test 5 of 6 for the New York Hunter Education Practice Test: 25 more questions with answers and explanations.

Hunting
New York
132 questions
Checked October 10, 2026

Question 1 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 2 of 25
Why is shooting from a road or vehicle a poor choice?
- It gives the best backstop
- It is the safest way to hunt
- It is unsafe, unfair to the animal, and illegal in many states
- It is required on public land so hunters do not damage the habitat
Show answer
Answer: C. It is unsafe, unfair to the animal, and illegal in many states
Roads are used by people, and shooting from them often breaks fair chase and the law.
Question 3 of 25
What happened to the passenger pigeon?
- It moved to Europe
- It became common in cities
- It became extinct, largely from unregulated market hunting and habitat loss
- It nearly died out but was restored by hunters and is common again in eastern forests
Show answer
Answer: C. It became extinct, largely from unregulated market hunting and habitat loss
The last known passenger pigeon died in 1914. Its loss helped build support for wildlife laws.
Question 4 of 25
If you get lost, what does "STOP" stand for?
- Stop, Think, Observe, Plan
- Shout, Turn, Off-trail, Panic
- Start, Turn, Open, Proceed
- Search, Travel, Orient, Push on
Show answer
Answer: A. Stop, Think, Observe, Plan
Staying calm and making a plan is the first survival step.
Question 5 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 6 of 25
Who sets the standards that hunter education courses across North America are built on?
- Each hunting store
- The National Park Service
- The Federal Aviation Administration
- The International Hunter Education Association (IHEA)
Show answer
Answer: D. The International Hunter Education Association (IHEA)
State and provincial courses are developed to standards set with IHEA-USA and IHEA-Canada.
Question 7 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 8 of 25
Besides a harness, what should you take or do for tree stand safety?
- Leave your phone at home so it does not ring and scare game
- Tell someone your plan and carry a charged cell phone
- Hunt where no one can find you
- Skip the harness if the stand has a rail
Show answer
Answer: B. Tell someone your plan and carry a charged cell phone
If you fall, people need to know where you are, and you need a way to call.
Question 9 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 10 of 25
Why is it dangerous to carry 20-gauge shells while hunting with a 12-gauge shotgun?
- They make the gun shoot too far
- 20-gauge shells are illegal for all types of hunting in every state and territory
- They will not fit in the magazine
- A 20-gauge shell can lodge in the 12-gauge barrel, which can burst if fired
Show answer
Answer: D. A 20-gauge shell can lodge in the 12-gauge barrel, which can burst if fired
Carry only one type of ammunition, the one marked on your barrel.
Question 11 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 12 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 13 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 14 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.
Question 15 of 25
Why should heaters never be used in a closed blind or tent without ventilation?
- They can produce deadly carbon monoxide
- They scare game
- They use up too much fuel too fast
- They melt the blind
Show answer
Answer: A. They can produce deadly carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide has no color or smell.
Question 16 of 25
Which species is a well-known conservation success story, restored with help from hunter-funded programs?
- Carolina parakeet
- Great auk
- Passenger pigeon
- Wild turkey
Show answer
Answer: D. Wild turkey
Wild turkeys were restored to most of their former range through trapping, moving birds and habitat work.
Question 17 of 25
Why is non-toxic shot required for waterfowl hunting in the US?
- Lead pellets left in wetlands can poison waterfowl that swallow them
- Non-toxic shot is quieter
- Lead shot rusts
- Lead is too heavy for most shotguns to fire safely at flying ducks and geese
Show answer
Answer: A. Lead pellets left in wetlands can poison waterfowl that swallow them
Ducks and geese swallow spent pellets while feeding.
Question 18 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 19 of 25
What are the basic parts of wildlife habitat?
- Food, fences, roads and towns
- Trees, sun, rocks and snow
- Water, hunters, weather, predators and roads
- Food, water, shelter (cover) and space
Show answer
Answer: D. Food, water, shelter (cover) and space
Animals need all four, arranged so they can reach them.
Question 20 of 25
Which animal position offers the best shot at the vitals?
- Facing toward you at long range
- Facing straight away
- Running
- Broadside or quartering away
Show answer
Answer: D. Broadside or quartering away
These angles give the clearest path to the heart and lungs.
Question 21 of 25
In carry 2 of the diagram, a break-action shotgun is open over the forearm. Why is this a good choice when walking with others?
- It keeps the shells warm and dry
- Everyone can see the gun is open and cannot fire
- It is the only carry allowed by federal law when hunting in groups
- It is the fastest way to shoot
Show answer
Answer: B. Everyone can see the gun is open and cannot fire
The open action shows the gun is safe, and the muzzle points at the ground ahead.
Question 22 of 25
Which US president, a hunter and conservationist, set aside large areas of public land and wildlife refuges?
- George Washington
- Theodore Roosevelt
- Abraham Lincoln
- John Adams
Show answer
Answer: B. Theodore Roosevelt
Roosevelt also helped found the Boone and Crockett Club in 1887.
Question 23 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 24 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 25 of 25
Which animal has broad, flat (palmated) antlers?
- Elk
- White-tailed deer
- Pronghorn
- Moose
Show answer
Answer: D. Moose
Bull moose have large, palm-shaped antlers.

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