Pennsylvania Hunter-Trapper Education Practice Test 2026: Practice test 3

Practice test 3 of 6 for the Pennsylvania Hunter-Trapper Education Practice Test: 25 more questions with answers and explanations.

Hunting
Pennsylvania
134 questions
Checked October 10, 2026

Question 1 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 2 of 25
Which is an early sign of hypothermia?
- Extreme thirst
- Uncontrolled shivering and clumsy hands
- Itchy skin
- A red, sweaty face
Show answer
Answer: B. Uncontrolled shivering and clumsy hands
As it gets worse, a person may stumble, slur words and become confused.
Question 3 of 25
Why should you field dress big game quickly?
- To take better photos
- To attract other deer
- Because the law requires it within one minute
- To cool the meat fast and prevent spoilage
Show answer
Answer: D. To cool the meat fast and prevent spoilage
Body heat and bacteria spoil meat. Remove the organs and let it cool.
Question 4 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 5 of 25
How should you hand a firearm to another person?
- Muzzle first
- Unloaded, with the action open and the muzzle pointed safely
- By tossing it gently
- With the action closed and the safety on, so it is ready to use
Show answer
Answer: B. Unloaded, with the action open and the muzzle pointed safely
An open action lets the other person see that the firearm cannot fire.
Question 6 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 7 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 8 of 25
In the TAB-K firearm safety rules, what does the "T" stand for?
- Treat every firearm as if it is loaded
- Take the safety off before you start walking
- Test-fire the gun before every hunt
- Tell your partner when you see game
Show answer
Answer: A. Treat every firearm as if it is loaded
The first rule is to treat every firearm as loaded, even if you think it is empty.
Question 9 of 25
Look at the diagram. Which hunter is easiest for other hunters to see?
- Both are equally easy to see
- The hunter in the blaze-orange hat and vest (1 and 2)
- Neither can be seen
- Hunter 3, because camouflage stands out well against trees
Show answer
Answer: B. The hunter in the blaze-orange hat and vest (1 and 2)
Blaze orange stands out against woods and fields, so other hunters can see you.
Question 10 of 25
Under the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, who owns wildlife?
- Only hunters
- Wildlife is held in public trust for all people
- The landowner where the animal lives
- Whoever kills it
Show answer
Answer: B. Wildlife is held in public trust for all people
Governments manage wildlife in trust for everyone.
Question 11 of 25
How do wildlife agencies use regulated hunting?
- To wipe out common species
- As a tool to keep populations in balance with their habitat
- As a replacement for habitat
- To remove all predators, such as wolves and coyotes, from the state
Show answer
Answer: B. As a tool to keep populations in balance with their habitat
Seasons and bag limits are set using population data so harvests are sustainable.
Question 12 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 13 of 25
Which animal has a large tan rump patch and a dark brown neck?
- White-tailed deer
- Moose
- Black bear
- Elk
Show answer
Answer: D. Elk
Elk have a light rump patch, a darker neck and long, curved antlers on bulls.
Question 14 of 25
How should you approach big game that appears to be dead?
- From behind and slightly uphill, watching for movement, ready for a follow-up shot
- Quickly, without your gun
- From the front, near the antlers, so you can look closely at its eyes and nose
- By poking it with your foot from the front
Show answer
Answer: A. From behind and slightly uphill, watching for movement, ready for a follow-up shot
A wounded animal can suddenly get up. Approach carefully and watch the eyes and chest.
Question 15 of 25
When should you NOT use the shoulder carry, which points the muzzle up and behind you?
- When someone is beside you
- When you are at the back of the group
- When walking alone
- When someone is walking behind you
Show answer
Answer: D. When someone is walking behind you
Choose a carry that keeps the muzzle away from everyone around you.
Question 16 of 25
You see movement and hear a noise in the brush. What should you do?
- Fire a warning shot
- Wait until you can clearly see and identify the animal
- Fire at the sound, since deer are the only animals there
- Shoot quickly before it leaves
Show answer
Answer: B. Wait until you can clearly see and identify the animal
Never shoot at sound, movement or color. Hunters are sometimes mistaken for game.
Question 17 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 18 of 25
How can hunters help slow chronic wasting disease (CWD)?
- Move whole carcasses across the state to share the meat with family
- Feed deer in groups during the winter
- Ignore sick deer
- Follow carcass movement rules and have deer tested when asked
Show answer
Answer: D. Follow carcass movement rules and have deer tested when asked
CWD is a fatal disease of deer, elk and moose.
Question 19 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 20 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 21 of 25
What must migratory bird hunters register with in each state where they hunt?
- The state driver's license office
- A national gun registry
- A local hunting club
- The Harvest Information Program (HIP)
Show answer
Answer: D. The Harvest Information Program (HIP)
HIP gives biologists the contact list they need to survey migratory bird harvest.
Question 22 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 23 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 24 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 25 of 25
Before you shoot, what must you know about the animal?
- Only that it is on public land
- Its species, and that its sex or antlers are legal for your license or tag
- Only that it is moving away from you and not toward any other hunters
- Only that it is large
Show answer
Answer: B. Its species, and that its sex or antlers are legal for your license or tag
Licenses and tags often apply to one species, sex or antler type.

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